Journey Back to You repost
by faithintheirlovealways
Summary: Edward Cullen and Bella Swan are Hollywood's "it" couple who's on-screen and off-screen relationship made them prime targets for the media. Edward thought that he had it all until one day a scandal tears them apart and Edward is left to pick up the pieces of his shattered dreams. NOTE: There are some different characters & character descriptions


**Thought this was an appropriate Twilight/Real Life Fanfiction. I do not own characters or Twilight, I simply love them! I hope everyone enjoys it! This is the complete story. I am working on a sequel! Reviews will only encourage!**

* * *

**Chapter One**

The envelope sat on the table before Edward, emptied of its contents. He knew it was bad as soon as he laid eyes on it when the courier brought it to the front door. He should have not let him through the gate, but he thought it might have been a script he was waiting on. He knew it was really bad when it just had his name on it and no return address and it obviously was not fan mail, a fan would not pay a courier to bring it to him directly. No, fans just left shit outside the gate in piles. This was different and the air in the house changed as soon as it touched his hands.

He had been sitting here staring at the contents for hours, or what felt like hours, in actuality, it had only been twenty minutes, deciding how to digest it. How do you digest pictures of the woman you love leaving a hotel with another man, pressed up against him with his hands on her body and lips on her mouth, "_my body, my mouth, my love, my future wife_?" he whispered to no one. He felt sick, but could not move. The man in question was none other than her latest costar, James Jackson. Edward had even played golf with him when they were in Georgia shooting, he hated the guy and it was the longest golf game of his life. He was arrogant and reckless. He voiced his opinion of him to Bella when they had returned from playing. To think about what had been going on behind his back made him sick.

Feeling the utter humiliation come over him at this point was so intense that it was making him nauseous. The house was silent, the house he bought for them the day she agreed to marry him, so silent that he was hyper aware of every noise within a one mile radius of the house; dogs barking and children playing in the distance became the soundtrack for his pain. The note was simple:

_**These will be published in the next issue of Celebrity Weekly, thought you might want a preview.**_

Who could hate him this much that they would do something like this? Where he came from you did not do this to someone you actually liked. But then again, in this town it is all about how you can make a buck. When he was able to finally move, Edward pulled his phone out of his back pocket and flipped it open. He thought about calling her first, but he couldn't. Hell, he couldn't even talk at this point. He pulled up the text message box and texted his sister, the one person he knew he could trust that would help him through this. The message was short and simple.

_**Get to my house right away…911**_

A bit dramatic, but he was an actor but he felt that it was short and to the point. His phone instantly buzzed with a new message, he knew it was Elizabeth replying to him, but he physically could not move. She had the code to the gate and a key to let herself in. He prayed that Bella would be out longer, he needed to process this. This is not hearsay; there were actual pictures, proof that it exists. Proof that was making him sicker by the minute.

Within twenty minutes he heard Elizabeth's car pull up to the front of the house followed by her running up the stairs to the door. As soon as he heard the front door open, the first tear fell down onto one of the pictures that were on the table in front of him.

"Edward! What the hell is going on?" Elizabeth froze in the kitchen doorway and when she saw his face; she was at his side instantly. You would have thought he would have found his voice by then, but nothing, not a damn thing. Edward allowed even more tears to escape as she arms around him as he shook his head side to side, "Edward, what is it? Is Bella ok?" she looked scared as he pushed the pictures in front of her.

She sat in the chair next to him looking at the pictures and picked up the envelope and note that came with them. "Is this for real? When were these taken?" she looked on the back of one of the pictures that was dated one week ago. "Edward, you are freaking me out. You have to talk, look at me," she put her hand under his chin and he met her eyes. It was in that second that the damn burst, that he finally could react.

"Elizabeth, how could she do this? I can't do this. She is everything to me and now this?" he was shaking with anger, the shock was wearing off and he was going directly into pissed off, mad as hell mode. Edward stood suddenly from the chair sending it into the kitchen counter behind him. Elizabeth was startled. Edward never lost his temper, but then again, she had never seen him this upset.

"Where is she now, Edward? When was the last time you saw her," she was holding her temper well. She was his calm, she was older than Edward by six minutes, and that six minutes more maturity has always been his rock. He could see that she was feeling the pain that he was feeling and that she was trying to keep as calm as possible for his sake.

"I saw her this morning. I have been with her every day, every night in this house! This was taken when I was meeting with Jasper that is the only time we have been apart. I swear I had no idea," he was pacing in front of her looking for something to throw, knowing that in theory it would not make him feel better. "What I am supposed to do? These are going public, this is not some story without any evidence, there are pictures!" he kicked the chair across the room and dragged his hands through his hair making it stand more on end.

Turning back to Elizabeth, he saw anger in her eyes that remained locked on one of the pictures. She had voiced her worries of Bella hurting him through their five year relationship. Edward was never the type to date; he had no desire to spend time with women that he held no future with. In his eyes, it was all or nothing and he felt as though he had met his soul mate in Bella despite them both being actors and living in an environment where divorce was the norm. His parents had been together 35 years and were as happy now as they were when they first met. That was his model that was what he wanted. Take away the fame, all of it, if Edward could just have that. With Bella, he had it all: fame, money, and love and Edward thought he had lucked out. Elizabeth thought that someone who was not a celebrity would be a better match for Edward and his morals, but you cannot choose who to fall in love with, and she eventually warmed up to Bella and had even become friends with her, more so since the engagement.

"Edward, I have no idea what to say. I wish I could tell you what to do, but I honestly have no idea," she stood up slowly and walked towards him. No one would guess that by looking at them that they were twins. She had light brown hair, he had auburn hair, her eyes were brown, his were blue-green, he stood at six foot two, she at five foot two, and more than anything, she was the calm one and the one who took care of him, where he was the emotional one who acted first and thought about it later. She had to know what to do, or he could not survive this. "Have you called Alice?" Edward shook his head thinking of their best friend since junior high who was now his assistant/manager.

Edward looked down at the floor wondering how this all went wrong. The tears were falling from his eyes, yet he could not feel them, he was numb. He closed his eyes tightly, seeing Bella's face and the way she looked this morning as she kissed him on the lips before leaving their home telling him how much she loved him. When he opened them again, Elizabeth stepped forward and wrapped her arms tightly around him. Edward clung to her, knowing that his life was about to change. Knowing that not only would he have to endure this pain, but he would have to do so publicly. Bella Swan and Edward Cullens were THE Hollywood couple. They were followed everywhere and were constantly on marriage watch and on bump watch and the tabloids were going to bask in this. They had been in three films together in the past four years and all were box office hits. Their chemistry on and off screen secured their status as a bankable pair. This scandal was going to be the scandal for the Hollywood world. Precisely the thing Edward strived to stay away from the most.

"Can you call Alice for me? I need to clear my head before Bella gets home," Edward reluctantly pulled back from her arms and started to pile the pictures back into the envelope.

"Do you want me to stay?" he shook his head. He knew she would, in a heartbeat, but he had to face this on this own.

"I need to do this on my own, but thank you. I will call you and let you know what happens. Just call Alice and tell her that I will be in touch soon." He placed the envelope on the kitchen counter and turned to walk her out.

"Call me if you need anything," she stood on her tip toes to kiss his cheek. "I love you and I am sorry. I never wanted you to feel this kind of pain." As she got into her car, he closed the door and slid to the floor letting the tears fall freely and felt the release of the sobs he had been trying to contain. He looked around at the home he bought for them, hoping to someday fill with kids and memories. Edward suddenly hated the house and felt betrayed by what it represented.

He slowly dragged himself away from the door and made his way into the master bedroom. Edward could smell her, the vanilla of her lotions, the strawberry scent of her hair, these things once brought him comfort, and now they brought him pain. He lay on the middle of their bed, remembering how last night they had made love and woke up tangled in each other's legs and arms with her hair splayed across his chest, her long, dark hair that he could never get tired of touching. He curled up into the fetal position, clutching her pillow close to him and breathing in her scent crying until sleep finally took him knowing that his life would never be the same.

* * *

**Chapter Two**

Edward woke up to the sound of the gate outside and looked at the clock. It was 6:00pm and he had been passed out for two hours. He stood up and looked into the dresser mirror. He looked like total shit with bags under his eyes, stubble that went all the way down his neck, and hair sticking out all over the place. He did not give a shit; he looked like he felt and morbidly so, he was content with that. He left the room and took the back staircase to the kitchen as he heard the key in the door.

As Edward took his place again at the kitchen table with the envelope in front of him he saw Bella walk into the kitchen. She must have been working out as she was dressed in black yoga pants, white tank top, and her New Balance tennis shoes. She wore an almost identical outfit in the pictures, so who knows what she was really doing today. Her thick, dark hair was pulled into a high pony tail making her look seventeen instead of twenty-five. She was beautiful but he would never look at her the same way again, she was no longer touched only by him and this forever changed her in his eyes.

She breezed past him to throw her purse on the counter leaving a trail of her vanilla and strawberry scent around him as she turned to kiss him lightly on the cheek, her hand sending chills down his arm instead of the usually tingling feeling she gave him. "Why are sitting here like this?" She looked genuinely concerned. Edward had lost his voice again, realizing that it was there, but not knowing what would come out prevented him from saying anything at all. "Is something wrong? You look sick," he was worrying her, good. She took in his appearance noticing his hair was so disheveled that it was standing up on end and his t-shirt and jeans appeared to have been slept in. "Edward, are you sick or something?"

Edward took a deep breath and pushed the envelope in front of her and looked into her brown eyes. She looked concerned and scared. She broke the stare to lift the flap of the envelope and to pull out its contents. Her eyes grew larger and the blush crawled from her neck to her forehead. As she moved between each picture, twelve in all, the tears streamed faster down her beautiful face. Her lower lip was trembling so hard he could hear the slight chatter of her teeth. She looked as numb as he felt. She pushed the pile towards the middle of the table and buried her head in her hands, shaking the table. Edward knew now at this moment he had to speak.

"You need to know that you were it for me. I never thought any differently. I was not blind to our lifestyle and the statistics that we were up against here. I was not raised in this, and I wanted it all with you. I thought you felt the same way. I thought that you wanted only me forever. I need to know how you could have done this to me and what I did to deserve this," Edward was staring at the top of her head willing her to look him in the eyes, he wanted her to deny it or try to, but when she finally lifted her face to look at him, he knew that was not going to happen.

"I am so sorry Edward. It meant nothing, I don't love him." Bella was looking at him with such sadness that he felt a rush of sympathy, for about two seconds. The words that left her mouth hitting him deep into his chest. He had hoped she would have denied it, told him it was some joke and that someone photo shopped the two of them together, but she didn't. She never imagined he would find out, she had ended the relationship with James immediately and told him it was a mistake and they had to forget about it. She had no idea why she did it in the first place, Edward was her life and she loved him more than anything. Why she participated in such a destructive behavior was still a mystery to her. Her life with Edward was happy and content. Maybe too content, too perfect. She always felt the need to have drama around her and she had acted like a reckless teenager by engaging in an affair with her costar.

"Great! You don't love him? Well this makes it all okay that you are hanging all over him looking freshly fucked outside of a hotel in the middle of the day! What the fuck, you think I am that big of an idiot?" Edward was shaking, and he knew at this very moment, he needed to get away from her, but not before he asked her a few questions. "So, how long? How long have you been sleeping with your latest costar? How many costars have you slept with? I want the goddamn truth!" he slammed his fist on the table not caring if it scared the shit out of her, the chair flew back again, and his blue eyes were blazing.

"It only happened once! I swear, it meant nothing! ," she was sobbing at this point, the tears falling onto the table. Damn that small part of him that wanted to comfort her as he had done so many times before.

"ONCE? Look at these pictures and ask me if I should believe you! DO NOT treat me like I am some stupid ass! Do you realize these pictures are going to be plastered everywhere? Do you understand the HUMILATION that I feel right now? For something that meant nothing to you?" Edward was barely holding on. The pain in his chest was so intense that he thought his heart was going to beat straight out of it.

"I AM SORRY! You have to believe me! We have been filming and it was intense and one thing led to another. It will never happen again! I will fix this!" She leapt towards Edward to embrace him and he took a step backwards. He could have her touch him right now; he needed to get away, to process.

"No, don't touch me," her face paled and she looked as if he had slapped her. "I cannot touch you right now, I cannot look at you right now. I am leaving to think things through and to prepare for the fallout from all of this. I suggest you do the same and give me this time." He turned his back on her to leave the room.

"NO! Don't leave! I love you, please give me a chance to fix this. I will figure it out," she grasped his hand pulling him towards her trying to link their fingers together. Edward looked down remembering how the first time he had taken her hand in his thinking that they had fit so perfectly and how meant to be they really were. "Please, Edward. I love you."

He shook his head and pulled his hand back. "I need to be alone. It physically hurts me to look at you right now," he turned to go back up to their room to pack a bag when he heard her fall to the ground sobbing. Edward threw open the closet throwing clothes into the bag and went into the bathroom and to collect what he needed for a few days. He needed to leave the house and go somewhere before this news hit and for the sole reason that he just needed some time to think. He knew the ramifications from this affair, he would be stalked as soon as the news hit.

He went back to the kitchen to grab his keys to the truck when he saw her again. She was crouched on the floor, crying uncontrollably. Edward weakened at that very moment and dropped his bag to the floor and fell to his knees in front of her. It was a reflex to her pain. He pulled her towards him as she pulled him by his shirt buying her tears into his chest. Feeling her at that moment, melting into him, Edward let his own tears fall into her hair.

"I can't do this. I need to go. I do love you, but this is too much, I need to process it all," he kissed the top of her head and pealed himself away from her. She did not look at him as she hugged herself and her body shook from the sobs. "I will talk to you soon," he picked up his bag and opened the door to the garage. When Edward got into his truck, the tears were blinding his sight as he pulled out his phone to text Elizabeth.

_**She came home, had to leave, I am on my way over…**_

Elizabeth and her husband, Jack, lived less than ten minutes from Edward's house. They were extremely close having left New York City behind, Edward to follow his acting career and her to follow Jack to medical school, nearly 12 years ago. Edward craved a sense of normality and lived in a regular neighborhood in Beverly Hills and not amongst other actors. Jack worked insane hours at the hospital and Elizabeth was a successful novelist. California was not Edward's cup of tea, as he grew up in NYC, and living here is the polar opposite, but having family near made it bearable. About two years after they moved here, Alice, their best friend, followed suit to become Edward's personal assistant/manager. She was like their other sister and he trusted her the same way he did Elizabeth. They were all extremely close and had each other's back. Knowing that he had them eased the ache in Edward' chest because he knew they would be here for him.

As he pulled into Elizabeth's driveway, Edward saw Alice's Mustang convertible. He pulled up next to it and killed the engine. Taking a deep breath, he lay his head on the steering wheel pondering his next move. Suddenly, he heard his name and looked up to see Alice with her head peering into his passenger window. Standing on her tip toes to look at him, Edward saw the pain for him in her eyes.

Elizabeth had called Alice immediately after leaving Edward's house and told her she needed to come over right away. She had been in the middle of looking over Edward and Bella's schedules to give them a few potential wedding dates. She was working from home for a few days until Edward's new movie came out next week, seeing as he had some time off and she did not need to be at any engagements with him. Alice loved her job that allowed her to work for her best friend, and trust her, that is all they were. They had their fair share of speculation when she was first seen around him constantly at the beginning of his career. They were all so close, and she was their "adopted sibling" and never could imagine being with Edward.

When she arrived at Elizabeth's twenty minutes later, she met Alice in the driveway and she looked like someone had died. She told her about the pictures and her mouth fell open and the words "That whore" might have come flying out. Alice knew how much Edward loved her, she knew before anyone else, even him. The first time they met she saw the look on his face and knew she was "the one". They all had their apprehensions, they knew Edward was not into the public eye, he was uncomfortable with that aspect of his job, and they had hoped he would settle down with someone non-famous, but they knew he loved her and accepted her into their family with open arms. Now, Alice was looking at Edward sitting in his truck, head hidden in his arms on the steering wheel, knowing that he was hurting and she needed to control her anger and be there for him.

"Edward, are you okay? You have been sitting out here for while and we are worried about you," she started to walk around to the driver's door. She opened the door and that's when he finally lost all control. Edward slouched out of the truck and launched into her arms. The dark haired woman in his arms was even smaller than his sister and she held onto him with every ounce of strength she had. Her arms were tight around his neck and her one hand was stroking his back trying to soothe him as if Edward was a child with a skinned knee.

She slowly pulled away to lead Edward towards Elizabeth's front door where she waiting for her brother. She walked the last few steps towards him to embrace him. No words were spoken as the threesome made their way into Elizabeth's living room where Edward deposited himself on her couch with each woman flanking his sides.

"What did she say, Edward? " Elizabeth was the first to speak. Edward stared at his hands not wanting to face either one of them.

"She said it was a one time thing, that she still loved me and was sorry. I left. I just couldn't sit there any longer. She could have talked all night, right now I don't believe her and I just cannot listen to it," he pinched the bridge of his nose and shut his eyes willing the tears to stop. He had always been emotional, but the tears were new to him and somehow like a burst damn, they had a mind of their own.

"Did she say anything else?" Alice's voice was strained. Edward knew that she probably wanted to allow the slew of choice names she was feeling towards Bella at this moment, but she also knew that as unhappy as he was, Edward would not be able to handle it.

"I left her in the kitchen, on the floor crying. Hardest thing I have ever had to walk away from," he was truly affected by that. Despite everything, Edward loves Bella, probably always would. She knew him like no one else ever had and they had a connection so intense that the air around them buzzed with electricity. From the moment he met her on the set of their first movie five years ago, he knew she was his soul mate. Leaving her on the floor in tears was making him even sicker than he already had been feeling since the moment that envelope touched his fingers.

Alice took a deep breath before she spoke "Edward, I called my source at _Celebrity Weekly_, and I know this is the last thing you need to hear, but I have some more bad news," Edward looked up at her bracing himself for what was next, could this day get any worse? He now believed it was about to. "He said that although the magazine hits shelves on Friday, that the pictures and story will appear on their website tomorrow evening, six o'clock to be exact." Yep, things just got a whole lot worse for Edward Cullens.

* * *

**Chapter Three**

The night was a total blur for Edward after the next wave of bad news was sprung upon him. Everything was becoming much too real for him. He saw the pictures, but in the back of his mind, he was hoping they would never really come out into the open. As he sat in the guest bedroom of Elizabeth's house at six am the next morning, he realized that in twelve hours his personal life would be made public to the entire whole world. He always knew that there would be certain milestones of his and Bella's relationship that would become front page, but he thought those events would be their wedding and birth of their future children.

He leaned over to the nightstand to turn his phone back on. As of last night there were twenty-two text messages from Bella. He did not look at any of them. He turned his phone off, stripped to his boxers and t-shirt and climbed into bed. As his phone warmed up, it alerted him of more messages, fifty-one total, all from Bella.

_**Please come home….**_

_**I love you….**_

_**Forgive me….**_

_**I can't be without you…..**_

All of them basically said the same thing. In addition to the text messages, there were over twenty voicemails, again, all from Bella. Edward pulled up his contact list and his finger hovered over her name on the screen. He wanted to talk to her, not a day had gone by in five years that he had not heard her voice. Even when they were apart on location, they spoke every morning and every night before going to bed. Edward was beginning to feel that his daily routine would be hardest to get used to. Instead of calling her, he pulled up his text message option.

_**I received you messages. I am fine. I need time. Please give me what I need right now. I will call you when I can. I love you…..**_

As he sent the text, he wondered if he made a mistake adding that he loved her, but it was the truth. He still loved her despite everything making his decisions even harder. He would never stop loving her. He walked into the guest bathroom to assess his current state of dress. He looked even more like shit today, if that is even possible. His beard was thicker, he had not shaved in two day, to a normal person that was some stubble, for him, he was beginning to look like a mountain man. His eyes were laced with the darkest circles, and his hair was in complete disarray. As to not offend the other members of the household, he dragged himself into the shower and dressed in a fresh t-shirt and jeans. One of the girls must have gone back out to his truck last night to retrieve his bag. _Fuck shaving,_ he thought. At this point, he wanted to look like shit.

As soon as he opened the bedroom door, Edward heard the voices of Elizabeth and Alice. He felt horrible walking out of the room last night without a word to be by himself, but he was certain that they understood. He assumed that today would be "pre-damage control" and they would be getting things in order before the pictures were posted online tonight. He hated _Celebrity Weekly._ Normally, they were the magazine he would talk to when necessary. They could go to Hell now.

Elizabeth saw him first. Alice was seated at the counter typing on her laptop, talking on the phone, and pulling up something on her iPad. This was why she had the job she did, multitasking was an art form for her, and no one could do it like her.

"Want some coffee or breakfast? You did not have dinner last night you must be starving," accepting the coffee he shook his head indicating he was not hungry. "Look, you need to eat something. It is not good to skip eating. How about some toast and fruit?" he decided to admit defeat easily and just take the food.

Alice was just hanging up the phone as Edward sat down and looked at him sadly. "Hey, Edward. I am not even going to bother asking how you are feeling this morning," that was Alice, to the point.

"Thanks, I appreciate it," Edward took his first sip of coffee as Elizabeth placed a plate of food in front of him. Just smelling it made him nauseous, how was he supposed to actually eat it?

"Have you heard from her?" Alice looked up from her computer as Edward nodded his head.

"Just text messages, I cannot talk to her right now. I texted her that I needed time to think, I imagine when I go back upstairs there will be more voicemails and text messages," he decided to choke down some toast to keep Elizabeth off his back. It worked, when she saw him eat something she smiled and retreated back up the stairs.

"She is a wreck, you know. What happens to you happens to her," he nodded knowing exactly what she meant. "We need to talk about some things that I have found out and what you want to do in the coming days. I am not going to lie, Edward, it is going to be bad. You know the interest in your relationship has always been huge, this is going to really put you out there in the way you have been avoiding," she stood to walk over to him and he looked up at her. She obviously had not slept last night. Her dark hair hair was still pulled in a ponytail, but pieces were straying out, and she was wearing the same t-shirt and shorts she had on last night. Her blue eyes were bloodshot, probably from staring at the various screens all night. He felt incredibly bad to have turned everyone's life upside down even though he was not responsible for the new predicament.

"I know I do not want the paparazzi in my face and camped out on my doorstep. I need to think about things, I need to be alone. I know I cannot do it here, but where can I go? I am not staying here or your house and having your lives and privacy disrupted. I will not do that," his hands were raking through his hair and his voice was thick with emotion.

"Edward, you are not an imposition on either of our lives, we love you! You did nothing wrong, remember that," she took him by the shoulders and forced him to look at her. "You hurt, we hurt. You feel the same about us. We are here for you and we will get through this together," she hugged him tightly to her and his arms circled her waist. "We have an idea to give you the time you need. The catch is we have to move fast before the pictures go online and we have to keep it very quiet. You game?" he nodded, as if he had a choice getting away from the warzone sounded perfect to him.

"Elizabeth talked to Emmett last night." Emmett was Elizabeth and Edward' cousin who lived in New York City. He was a very successful lawyer and had even passed the bar in California to be able to represent them if he ever had to.

"Emmett cannot help with this. I am not sure I really have a case. These magazines were within their rights," he appreciated the effort, but knew there was nothing they could legally do.

"No, we talked about Chautauqua, he still has your Aunt and Uncle's vacation home up there. He has some time between cases and he is on his way up there now from the city to open it up. We are leaving out of Long Beach Airport on a private plane and we will land in Chautauqua/Jamestown Airport by the time the article is posted." She really left no stone unturned. It looks as though she really had spent the entire night making arrangements. Chautauqua was where they spent summers as children and they had not been there is nearly twelve years, no one would ever think to find them there, and it was a brilliant plan.

"I know that this is not ideal, but we have the private house and lake there. Honestly, I think it will be good for you to get far away to give yourself some distance from the situation," this was so difficult for Alice. Edward was a good person who deserved to be wholly loved, this affair not only affected him, but it made her and Elizabeth jump into mother mode and want to protect him from the aftermath. He sat nodding his head, his long lashes resting on his cheeks unable to look at her knowing it would bring him to tears. "You need to know how truly sorry I am, it kills me that this happened, Edward. A week away will be good. You are not scheduled for any appearances until the end of next week and we have not received your new schedule yet for your next film. I spoke with Jasper, and he agrees this is the right thing to do." Jasper Whitlock was Edward's agent and Alice's boyfriend, and he fit right into their family. He was extremely loyal to his client and he and Edward had formed an immediate friendship that went well past a professional relationship.

"Did you tell him about the trip?" Elizabeth had slinked back into the kitchen put her arm around him.

"Yes, she did. I take it you and Jack will be joining us?" Edward watched his sister move through the kitchen cleaning putting her coffee mug in the sink.

"No, Jack cannot get out of work at the hospital. He is going to keep things calm here on the home front. I hope you don't mind, but he is at your house picking some things up. I knew you would not want to go there and I there are no way you brought enough for two weeks," she looked at him afraid she had made the wrong decision, maybe he wanted to go to his house. The last thing she wanted to do is go into full mothering mode and smother him. He hated that.

"No, that is fine. Does Bella know he was coming?" As her name fell from his lips, more sadness washed over his face.

"Yes, I texted her. I imagine she probably left the house before he got there. I know I would have," she took a deep breath preparing to ask the big question that Alice could not ask. "Are you going to forgive her, Edward? Is there still a chance for you two? I am sorry, I know you probably don't want to talk about it, but is it over?" Elizabeth was beyond upset that Bella cheated in Edward. When they first got together she was not sure about their relationship, but over the years she saw how happy Bella made Edward and all of her doubts slowly disappeared. Elizabeth trusted her and she honestly did not know if she would ever forgive her for causing the pain her brother was feeling.

"I honestly don't know. I always felt if someone cheated on me, that would be it, but now that I am in this position, I am so scared to just let her go," he put his head in his hands and pulled at his hair hoping that action would keep the tears at bay. Edward hated feeling so weak.

Elizabeth felt horrible. It was not like her to not have answers for her brother. She was the one who always wanted to fix things, and for once, she did not have a quick fix

"Well, I am going home to pack. I will be back with a car to the airport in about an hour," Alice packed up her gear and put it by the front door. As she opened up the door, Jack walked in with Edward's bags and she kissed him on the cheek. "Hi and bye! I will be back in a bit!"

This is the first time Jack had seen Edward since Elizabeth told him what happened. He had no idea what to say to his brother-in-law. He was used to Edward being happy and joking, the guy loved his life like no one else he had ever met. Jack knew that this was going to be a huge blow to Edward and that there was a possibility that he would never get over it. As he shut the front door, Elizabeth came around the corner to greet him dressed in the standard uniform for the day, jeans and a t-shirt with her hair in a braid over her shoulder. She looked exhausted and spent. Jack knew this was going to be just as hard for her. The air in the house felt similar to when someone died in a family.

"Hey, how is he doing?" he whispered as he kissed his wife on the cheek. She shook her head, silently letting him know that he was not doing well. "I got everything you asked me to get. Bella was MIA, her car was gone. I left his laptop and iPad in the car, I did not know if he wanted it or even if he should have it," she nodded her agreement. Anything that could connect him to the internet world was going to be torture once the news went public.

"Thank you so much for going over there. I just could not risk seeing her, I just think that would be a very bad thing considering the things I want to say to her at this point." He nodded in agreement and followed her into the kitchen where Edward still sat staring at the plate of food he knew Elizabeth must have set in front of him.

"Hey, Edward," Jack said as he placed his hand on his shoulder. Edward looked up at him with a forced smile as Elizabeth retreated back upstairs mumbling something about calling her publisher leaving the two men alone in the kitchen.

"Thanks for getting me some things from the house," his voice was hoarse and he looked as though he had aged ten years since Jack saw him a few days ago when they had met up to play basketball.

"No need to thank me, I put your truck in our garage this morning for safe keeping" Jack walked over to the coffee pot; he heard a small _thank you _muttered in the background. Edward watched his brother-in-law knowing that Jack probably had no idea of what to say to him. The kitchen was blanketed in an awkward silence. Jack and Edward were close and they immediately hit it off when they met. He was four years older than Elizabeth and they had met when Elizabeth was a senior in high school through Emmett. He was good to his sister and a great doctor, but most importantly, he was a great friend and brother to Edward.

Jack walked to stand in front of Edward, with the breakfast bar between them, he leaned his long torso over the counter. Jack stood taller than Edward by a few inches and was a former football star in college, so he was pretty built. He had dirty blonde hair and brown eyes and a chiseled face that made him the recipient of many crushes among patients and nurses at the hospital. But, he never gave anyone a second glance because he was so in love with Elizabeth. "I am going to be honest and tell you I have no idea what to say at this point. I am stunned and I know that nothing I say is going to make this better. I am so sorry that you have to go through this. I know decisions have to be made, but my advice to you is to think everything through and decide for yourself and do not make any in the moment decisions."

Edward nodded his head and found the strength to stand up to go upstairs and collect his bag from last night. As he climbed the stairs and entered the guest room, he looked at the bed and wanted nothing more than to climb in and sleep this nightmare away.

* * *

**Chapter Four**

The day went by in a total blur of frenzied packing and the car arriving to take Edward, Elizabeth, and Alice to the airport. The goal was clear: be at their destination before the news went public. Edward had to be kept away from the public eye until they all knew what they would be dealing with. Jasper was going to stay in LA for the week, possibly coming to New York once things cooled off. Jack was going to keep an eye on Edward' house, although Bella was still living there for the time being. As the driver was loading the bags into the limo, Jasper pulled up the driveway.

As he pulled himself out of his black Mercedes, Alice was instantly at his side. He looked as though he should have been a movie star himself with his blonde hair, crystal blue eyes, and tall lean body. He had modeled his way through college, but he preferred to be on the other side of the business and not behind the cameras. Edward had another agent when he first moved to LA, but once he met Jasper at a friend's house, he knew Jasper would be the better person for the job. He cared about his clients and they were great friends. When he started dating Alice, it was just a bonus that he became part of their family.

After greeting Alice and Elizabeth, he walked over to where Edward was standing. He had long removed his tie and unbuttoned the top few buttons on his pin striped shirt since leaving his office for the day. His priority was to make sure he saw Edward off and spoke to him personally about the situation. Jasper took in his appearance noting that he looked exhausted and was wearing a baseball hat and sunglasses. His mouth was set straight with no hint of a curve. Completely unusual for Edward, he could smile through anything. He said nothing to Edward as he embraced him, the actions speaking louder than words.

"Hey, Jasper. Thanks for coming to see us off," his voice was thick with emotion. "I am so sorry that you have to deal with all of this." Typical Edward worried about everyone else and how it would affect them.

"Not only is it my job, but you are my friend and I would do anything for you. I am sorry you have to go through this." Jasper felt awful and knew this was going to be big news come this evening. He had an extra assistant hired into his office knowing his phone would be off the hook, especially when no one could find Edward. Jasper followed Elizabeth inside so he could talk to her in private and he knew this would be his only chance.

"Hey, Elizabeth," she turned at his voice and walked over to hug him. She looked utterly exhausted and knew she had been working day and night to complete her next novel and that she was looking forward to relaxing for a few weeks while primary edits were being made.

"Hi, Jasper. Thanks for coming by," Elizabeth loved Jasper and knew if he could he would be leaving with them right now, but she also knew it was imperative for him to remain here in LA.

"He looks like he's in shock. Has he said anything more?" Elizabeth shook her head. "I need you to know Bella called my office this morning and I spoke with her."

To say she was pissed by this news was an understatement. "What the fuck do you mean she called your office? You are not her agent, Thank God!" She was livid.

Jasper chuckled at her abruptness, "I agree with you on that, but her agent is pretty pissed off about what she has done. It is a nightmare either way, but her agent and publicist are going to be working their ass off to fix this, if they even can. She just mutilated the heart of America's new sweetheart. Anyways, she wanted to make sure he was okay, said no one here has answered her calls, I told her she should not expect you guys to."

"I know she texted him and he told her he needed time. She was not at the house when Jack packed some things up for Edward. She knows nothing about the trip and I am sure Edward wants to keep it that way for now. Anything that happens now is Edward's decision." She continued to pack up her laptop and manuscript as Jasper nodded his head in agreement.

"Look, Elizabeth, I do not want to overstep my bounds here, I know Edward is your brother and you and Alice mean well, but you cannot shelter him entirely from the situation. He needs to know what is going on and he has to face what is happening," he knew he had to tread lightly on the situation. Elizabeth and Alice were super protective over Edward and his privacy, but he was also a twenty-nine year old man who needed to face things head on. He understood the move to get him out of town so he could figure things out privately, but he also had responsibilities and obligations that were important to his career that could not be undone.

"You sound like Jack, he says I baby him. I appreciate what you are saying, but right now he is destroyed and I will not allow him to be hurt any further. I promise not to keep things from him and I will make sure he has access to any information he wants. I will not keep him from speaking to Bella that is his own decision. However, I will not sit back and watch him get hurt intentionally," she moved to walk out to the car.

"I know, I do not want him hurt anymore either, but at this point, I do not see how it will be possible to avoid it. A lot more might come out and speculations will be made. All I ask is that after a few days, a week tops, you then allow me or Alice to make a statement on his behalf. He has a strong fan base and they will wonder how he is doing. Just having him disappear will fuel speculation and start rumors. Can you promise me you will talk to him about that in a few days?" She nodded knowing he was right. As much as this was his personal business, he needed to say something at some point.

"I promise. But just so you know, I don't think he owns anyone shit. She needs to be the one to deal with this mess. I have to be honest with you, Jasper. He is not going to get over this. Even if they work it out, he will never be the same. That kills me," she opened the door and handed the last of her bags to the driver. She kissed Jasper on the cheek and got into the car. Jasper shook Edward's hand as Alice walked over to say her good-byes.

"I guess we will see you next week in New York if we are not back," Jasper nodded and wrapped his arms around her. "I will talk to Edward in a few days we need to just get him through the next few days first." They had already discussed his concerns about what would be expected of Edward in the near future. "I love you and please keep me updated constantly." She stood up on her toes and kissed him softly.

"I love you, too. And I will miss you. Stay safe and keep an eye on him." He stepped back to open the door of the car for her. She rolled down the window and with a small wave she smiled at him and blew him a kiss as the car pulled down the driveway.

* * *

**Chapter Five**

The group arrived in New York approximately two hours before the news was scheduled to hit the net. As they exited the plane, they saw a car waiting on the tarmac for them. It was a black Hummer and leaning up against it was Emmett. He was hard to miss; he was a linebacker and wrestler from high school through college so he was big, scary big. He was dressed in a white t-shirt and navy blue cargo shorts and flip flops. Apparently he had settled in quite nicely at the lake house. His black hair was windblown and his blue eyes were hidden behind a pair of aviators. Despite his size and profession, his family and friends knew him to be the jokester and big teddy bear of the group. They all grew up together and had fond memories of each other.

"GUYS! " Emmett came running towards them grabbing Elizabeth first and swinging her around then grabbed Alice. "Where's Edward?" he was looking towards the stairs of the plane.

"Talking to the pilot and thanking him and the crew, you know Edward," Alice replied as Emmett rolled his eyes. Edward was polite a trait that made him stand out in the arrogance of Hollywood.

As Edward started down the steps, they saw a smile spread across his face at Emmett, something that had been missing from his face over the past few days. He walked over to Emmett and the two cousins embraced. "Edward, it has been months! I have missed you guys! I might have to move out to LA so I can see you more often!"

Emmett stepped back to take a look at his cousin. Gone was the spark and even though he was smiling, it did not reach his eyes. He looked worn out. When he was first told what Bella did to him, words flew out of his mouth that he would not dare repeat. He was pissed. Edward was the real thing, he had faults, but all in all, he was one of the good guys. Since he could remember, he was a romantic at heart. When he first met Bella, he called Emmett and said that he had met "the one" and that he would marry her someday. Coming from anyone else, you would have thought he was crazy, but it was Edward and he knew that she had to really be it for him. Now, Emmett had no idea what this would ultimately do to Edward. For the average person this would be hard, but for Edward who was in the spotlight, this would be fucking devastating.

The crew loaded up the Hummer and everyone got in to head to the lake house. Emmett was telling the group about the house and how he opened it up and went to the store already so they could grill out tonight. Since it was the end of June, the summer season was in full swing with the Fourth of July holiday next weekend. Luckily, the lake house had a private area on the lake and a boat docked for them to use, it was quite secluded, that is why Emmett's parents had bought the home nearly twenty years ago. The windows were open and Edward could not help but breathe in the fresh air and travel back to his youth when this is where he spent one month every summer. _This place will help me heal, I just know it, _he thought to himself. Pulling up to the gated driveway felt like he was coming home. This place was honest and clean, LA never felt that way to him. This is what he longed for, a spot like this to take his family and for his own children to someday have the memories that he had. The thought of that life now made him sad and scared that he would never have it.

Emmett pulled to the front of the house, with its blue shutters and wraparound porch on both levels and everyone climbed out of his massive vehicle to take it all in. It had been twelve years since they were last here together, the summer before Elizabeth and Edward moved to California. They had vowed to come here every year, but careers and relationships made it impossible. It was fitting that Elizabeth chose this place for them to come to get away right now.

"Okay, everyone has their usual bedrooms, so why don't you guys settle in and I will get the grill going." Emmett was in his element, he loved being the host. "Alice, you know where the den is if you want to work from there. Dad had Wi-Fi put in last year, FINALLY! I told him I wasn't going to come visit if he didn't," unlike the rest of them, Emmett was still expected to spend Memorial Day and Labor Day holidays at the lake house. He proceeded to unload the bags and hand them to everyone.

Once inside, everyone went their separate ways. Edward and Elizabeth went upstairs to find their rooms, Emmett whet to the kitchen, and Alice decided to set up in the den. She texted Jasper to let him know they had arrived as she booted up her laptop and iPad. _T-minus 90 minutes._ This was going to be Hell. She heard a throat clear and looked up to see Emmett watching her from the doorway.

"So, Shorty, level with me. How bad are these pictures?"

"I did not see them, but Elizabeth said they were pretty bad. Bella did not even deny it, she came clean with him. This is a nightmare, Emmett. It's not like they might split and never have to deal with each other anymore. In six-months they have another movie coming out and they both have contracts to star in two more movies together to be named at a later date. Jasper is looking to see if we can get out of it, but they make money for the studio. Sad to say, but they will probably bring in even more with this scandal." She logged into the internet and brought up the _Celebrity Weekly_ site.

"Shit. What a whore bitch. I cannot even believe this. Did he have any idea prior to this?" Treading on Emmett's bad side was a very bad idea, and Bella Swan just dived in.

"No, we have been their planning wedding for God's sake. When this happened, I was looking at their schedules to figure out dates for them. She was even looking at wedding dresses! What possessed her to do this is beyond me. At first I thought she maybe wanted to get out of the engagement, but I saw no signs." She really had not and she had been wracking her brain for the past twenty-four hours.

"What about Edward? Did he have any inkling? I mean, was she acting strange?" Emmett was in lawyer mode, he wanted the facts, but Alice had nothing for him.

"Look at him Emmett. Does he look like someone who knew this was coming? I can honestly say he had no idea. She told him it was a one time thing and that it ended before it really started, that is all I know." Emmett chuckled to himself.

"One time my ass. That is what all cheaters say," he pushed away from the doorway. "Well, before I head out to the deck, I think I am going to run up and check on Edward. How much longer until the site is up? "

"About an hour. Maybe we should just wait to eat, I don't know if anyone really has an appetite right now,"Emmett nodded in agreement.

"Are you going to let him see the site?"

"Yes. I am not hiding anything from him. That would be worse, Jasper made me realize that. He needs to see what is out there so he can decide fact from fiction. Elizabeth wants to hide it from him, she did not even bring his laptop or iPad, I am surprised she didn't take his phone away from him and hide it."

Emmett laughed at the vision, "She means well, she just wants to protect him. But, I do agree with Jasper, he needs to see everything. I will go check on him," he waved as he bounded up to the second floor.

When he got to Edward's room the door was opened and he was sitting on the bed staring at his phone. He knocked on the open door to get his attention. He looked up and gave Emmett a half smile. "Can I come in?"

"It is your house," Emmett laughed at his smart ass remark. "What's up?"

"I could ask you the same thing. I wanted to talk to you without the girls around. You know, man to man," he grinned at Edward earning him a full, but short lived, smile.

"Well, I am not going to say I am fine, because I feel like total shit. In about an hour my entire private life will be on display for everyone to see. My fiancée has sent me over one hundred text messages in the past twenty-four hours and I have no desire to talk to her. My sister and best friend are treating me like a bullied ten year old. Oh, and did I forget to mention my fiancé fucked her latest costar?" When he finished, he actually looked relieved to have just unloaded all the information.

"Yeah, I heard something about that. Any idea it was happening?" Emmett took a seat next to Edward on the bed and look down at his phone to watch him thumb through the messages.

"No, not a clue. Played golf with the asshole a few weeks ago. Which now makes me feel like a stupid ass, he probably thought it was hysterical that I was on the course with him and he was screwing Bella behind my back," he was pulling at his hair causing it to stand up all over the place. "She didn't even try to friggin deny it, Pat. She sat there crying and saying she was sorry. Do you have any idea how hard it was for me to walk away from her like that? It killed me. She hurt me and all I could think about it how I was leaving her crying on the kitchen floor! I couldn't even yell at her, I was numb. And you know what, until it is out in the open in less than an hour, I am still holding out hope that this is a sick, fucking joke!"

Emmett took a deep breath, "Have you said anything to her since you left?"

"I texted her to tell her I needed time, but she keeps texting me anyways. I just cannot talk to her right now. I feel like a coward, but it is just that I seriously do not know what to say to her at this point. Was it a one time thing? If not, how long was it going on? Does she love him? Does she really love me? Even if I asked her these things, I don't know if I can believe her right now," he gave up and threw the phone on the bed.

"I have to ask you, Edward. If it was a one time thing, can you forgive her and get past it? I mean, is it a possibility?" Emmett was pushing him, but it was a question that was going to have to be answered.

"I don't know. There is so much unanswered and so much to process. I love her, more than anything. I cannot change that. She has been everything to me and even not talking to her is killing me. We are always in touch with each other, she's my best friend. I kept my personal life so insanely private because I did not want to share it with the world and I just wanted it for myself and for Bella. Sure we were always followed and in the gossip rags, but ninety-five percent of the shit was not true and easily ignored. Now this has happened and the pictures, God, the pictures are so bad. You will see there is no denying anything, that's probably why she didn't even try."

"Do you want to see the article when it comes up, are you ready for this?" Emmett wanted him to be prepared, he knew that he could never be ready for the shitstorm, but he just wanted him to realize what was going to go down after this.

"Yes, I do. I know Elizabeth doesn't want me to and I appreciate her trying to protect me, but I am twenty-nine years old and I have to deal with my problems head on. I think it was a good idea to come here. I needed to be away from the center of it all. I am going to have to do some serious thinking and decision making, and this place will help me, it always has." They looked at the clock and saw they had less than half an hour now.

Emmett stood up from the bed, "Well, it's almost time. Let's get a shot of something and face the firing squad. We will all be there with you," Edward stood with him and they left the room to join the girls in the den.

Got to hand it to Alice, she had turned the den into her home base in the course of an hour. She had her laptop, Elizabeth's laptop, the desktop, and the iPad all up and running. They were each on a different website; Edward guessed the major crap rags, as he now referred to them. Her thumbs were flying over her Blackberry keys; he assumed she was texting Jasper. She looked up at Edward and saw how nervous he looked. "Are you sure you want to be in here, Edward?" She was giving him an out, but he was not taking it, he nodded his head at her.

Emmett had disappeared for a few minutes and when he returned he was carrying a tray with four shot glasses filled with tequila. "Okay, everyone take a shot. I think we will all need it," he passed the tray around and when everyone had a glass, he counted to three and everyone drank. Now all that was left to do was wait out the remaining minutes.

Alice must have set an alert on her phone because the _*ping* _sound cut through the air and everyone perked up in acknowledgment of the small noise. Alice, who had not seen the pictures yet, touched her laptops touchpad to bring in to life and refreshed the website. Emmett walked to stand behind her, while Edward and Elizabeth sat in their respective chairs waiting their reaction.

Alice was first to react as she gasped and covered her mouth, Emmett stood speechless behind her, his face turning a deep red and anger apparent on his features. Call it morbid curiosity, though he had already seen the pictures, Edward walked over the computer to see what they saw. Only, it was not the same pictures he had seen. These were different. There was now a collage of photos different from the one he saw in the kitchen, these were of James and Bella having dinner together, seen getting in a car together, and as they scrolled down, there were the pictures that he had already seen outside the hotel. What struck him was the fact that in each sequence, the clothes were different, these were not on the same day, and these were several encounters.

Edward stood looking at the screen completely frozen. In her defense, the other pictures appeared innocent, there was no touching or kissing, and normally he would have viewed it as two costars hanging out. He had on several occasions lunched with female costars, but then again, he never took them to hotels and hung all over them in public. These innocent pictures made him feel more deceived and humiliated. His anger that had been building steadily quickly surfaced. Without a word, he walked out of the den as he heard Elizabeth yelling his name. There was only one person he needed to talk to, and that was the person he had been avoiding, Bella.

Elizabeth quickly followed Edward up the stair towards his room. "Edward, wait!" As she walked into the room he was already grabbing his phone off the nightstand. "Edward, seriously, waits!" She grabbed the phone out of his hand.

"GIVE ME BACK THE PHONE!" Elizabeth stood in complete shock. She had never heard him yell like that. Stunned, she managed to close her mouth as Emmett and Alice ran into the room.

Alice saw the phone in Elizabeth's hands and realized what must have happened and stood in front of Edward. The pain in his eyes and the trembling of his body broke Alice's heart. "Edward, I know what you want to do right now. Please calm down before you make that call," he snapped out of his trance and looked down at Alice.

Before Elizabeth could say anything, Edward' phone buzzed in her had. She looked down to see that Bella was calling. "It's her," she held the phone out to him as he shook his head.

"Let it go to voicemail. You are right, Elizabeth, I need to some time," he sat on the bed admitting defeat. "I need some time alone right now, do you guys mind?" With a collective "no" from everyone, they left Edward to go back to the downstairs.

Before the door closed, Elizabeth looked at Edward one last time, "Edward, I am really sorry for all of this. I know what she meant to you," she retreated to the hallway closing the door behind her.

Stripping down to his boxers and t-shirt, Edward laid on the bed willing sleep to take over. He turned his phone off that had been buzzing non-stop, and fell asleep dreaming of his life the way it was before this nightmare had taken over.

* * *

**Chapter Six**

When Edward woke up the next morning, he stared up at the ceiling wondering how things had changed so much. He dreamed of Bella all night hoping to wake up tangled in her limbs and that he had been dreaming the past few days. He reached over to grab his phone and pulled up the internet. He typed his name in Google search and was horrified by the results.

_**Bella Swan cheats on fiancé Edward Cullen**_

_**Betrayed! Bella Swan having an affair with Co-Star James Jackson**_

_**Edward Cullen hiding out after cheating scandal**_

The list went on and on for pages, not to mention the pictures. There were pictures of him, his house, and Bella everywhere. This was truly a nightmare. Edward had spent a lot of time and effort staying out of this type of spotlight and he prided himself on being pretty average and tried leading a normal, drama-free relationship. He dragged his hand through his hair and down his face feeling the heavy beard developing. He pulled up his text messages next. If he was going to be tortured, might as well dive in. His phone had so many voicemails and text messages, that it was not accepting anymore. Most were from Bella and the rest were from friends that he had not contacted before he left. He pulled up a text box and selected some close friends to let them know he was okay and that he would be in touch soon.

He got up and showered, still neglecting to shave, and threw on cargo shorts and a t-shirt. This time he did not even bother looking in the mirror, he just did not care. As he came down the stairs, he could hear Alice on the phone in the den.

"I know that he is going to have to make a statement eventually, but now is not the time, Rosalie." Rosalie was Edward's publicist, total hard ass who had a field day when he started dating Bella. For some reason, she never cared for Bella and was skeptical of their relationship. Edward had a love/hate relationship with the tall blonde, he loved to mess with her and she hated that he never listened to her about most things. "I do understand how bad this situation is, but their new movie does not premiere for six months and they just finished reshoots," she paused listening to Rosalie again. Edward felt horrible that Alice was thrown into this, but she was a Godsend and he had no idea what he would have done without her. "Okay, I am not a fortune teller! I have no idea what their relationship will be then when I do not even know what is going to happen in the present! Just tell the damn press that he is with family and would appreciate having some privacy right now. Jesus, you are the publicist, do your damn job!" He walked into the den as she slammed the phone down.

"Hi, Alice," she jumped at his voice. She looked at him, taking in his worn appearance.

"Edward! Hey, how are you doing this morning?" She walked up to him and hugged him tightly.

"Same. I am sorry you had to deal with Rosalie. Actually I am sorry you have to deal with this whole thing."

She shrugged her shoulders, "it's my job and I love you. I would never leave you alone on this." She walked back over to the desk.

"Where is everyone?"

"Elizabeth is on the back deck talking to her publisher and Emmett is on the boat. I checked on you earlier, but you were dead asleep. I was going to check your phone for you and clear up the messages, but figured you wanted to handle it."

"I did, but thanks. I looked online," Alice met his eyes; she knew he would do that. "What is the next move?"

"Your next move is to clear your head. You are going to have to make a statement eventually, but we have some time before that. Have you been in contact with Bella?"

Edward shook his head, "No, I will today," he took a deep breath. "El, do you think that was the only time?" He felt like such a pussy for asking this, she cheated that should be it, case closed, relationship over, but is that really what it meant? He had always said he could never accept cheating, but could he?

"That is something that you have to ask her, Edward. I wish like hell I could give you that answer, but I don't know," she felt bad that she could not give him an answer or reassurance, but she couldn't. "If it was the only time, could you forgive her?"

"I don't know anymore. I guess I have a lot to think about."

"Well, while you think, eat. I know you have not eaten in two days and there is fresh fruit and bagels in the kitchen," she gave him a 'mom' look and he knew it was easier to give in. "And, go talk to Elizabeth. She feels bad about last night."

When her phone rang, Edward took his opportunity to go to the kitchen and get some food. When he walked into the kitchen, he had forgotten the incredible view of the lake through the glass wall in the kitchen. Double French doors led out onto a two-tiered deck that took you down to the dock. He loaded his plate with food and grabbed a glass of OJ and walked through the open door. Elizabeth was sitting at the table with her laptop on typing away at edits. She looked up and smiled as Edward took a seat next to her.

"Hey, sis," he said quietly. "I am sorry about last night. There was no excuse for yelling at you like I did. There is just so much to process and things to decide on, and I snapped."

Elizabeth closed her laptop and focused on Edward. She had never seen him like this, he was the positive one. When she would get hyped up on anxiety, he was the one the one who told her to chill out and be positive. Although she was the one who he claimed calmed him and took care of him, he kept her in check by seeing the good side and humor in everything. His love for Bella was very strong. He believed in one true love and soul mates and he thought that she was his. A betrayal like this set his world spinning in another direction and she was not sure he would recover from this.

"No, I am sorry. I should not butt in because you need to do this on your own. I just want you to know that I am completely here for you and I will stand by any decision you make."

He looked up at her and knew he had to ask her the next question, a question he may not like the answer to. "What if I decide to forgive her?"

She looked down at the table taking a few moments to think about what to say to him. "Edward, this is your life and as much as it would kill me to see this happen to you again, I will stand by whatever you choose. I will have my opinions, just like you would, so you have to give me that. Maybe this was her one mistake, but what if it's not? Just get the facts and talk to her and really do some serious thinking." She looked at his plate of food sitting in front of him still untouched, "Now, please eat, I hate nagging you," she smirked at him.

He took a bite of fruit and realized that he was in fact hungry. Elizabeth opened her laptop back up, "I have to finish some edits to send to my publishers this afternoon. Emmett is down at the boat, you should go down there when you finish up."

That is exactly what Edward did, he spent the next couple hours on the boat with Emmett getting it cleaned up and ready for when they would take it out of the slip. It was a great distraction and Emmett did not bring up Bella.

Right before lunch, Edward went into the den to see Alice. He wanted to check out what was going on and get online. He was not going to avoid everything; he wanted to know what was out there and what he would eventually be dealing with. When he saw Alice at the desk, her hair was in a bun on the top of her head with pens sticking out of it and she was typing on her laptop, her phone still making random noises at her side. He wondered if she had taken a break at all this morning. She looked relieved as he walked in.

"Hey! Where have you been all morning?" He still looked so tired, but he looked a little better than he did this morning, maybe the sun was doing him so good. She knew that there were going to be more downs coming to him and that he would in fact reach a breaking point. Information coming in all morning was not good. She had been trying to decipher fact from fiction.

"Helping Pat out on the boat. I was wondering if we can look at some stuff online and talk." He pulled a chair over to her side. She slid her laptop over in front of him.

Alice sat quietly as Edward went from site to site and did Google searches of his name and Bella's. The affair pictures were everywhere now, and the actual magazine article would be on newsstands tomorrow. One site had even managed to take pictures of Bella this morning leaving her agent's office. She looked worse than Edward. Alice wondered how someone could look so broken when they were the ones to commit the crime. Part of her, the really bitchy protective friend part, thought she only looked that way because she got caught.

Edward was so quiet as he surfed through the net; he had his one hand on the touchpad and the other deep in his hair. Alice touched his arm and when he looked at her, there were fresh tears brimming his eyes. He had a look of utter humiliation and anger.

"I know this is hard. I hate this, but this is only the tip of the iceberg, Edward. You know how the paparazzi and the writers for these publications are, and they are going to dig and speculate until something else comes along. I wish I could make this easier for you. I think you need to call Bella." He looked so conflicted. Alice knew that not talking to Bella had to be the hard for him.

"Alice, I don't think I would believe her right now if she told me the sky was blue and the clouds were white. Seeing these pictures is like looking at someone I don't know." A tear fell down his cheek and her heart was breaking all over again.

"Edward, avoiding it is not going to make it go away or suddenly change the situation. Set a time to talk to her and let her know when. I know she keeps contacting you, so tell her how much time you need and when you can talk."

He knew she was right, and he owed it to their relationship even though Bella had disrespected it, he still meant everything he ever said to her and he held their relationship above everything else. "Thanks, El. I am going to go up and check my phone," he stood and kissed her on the cheek and retreated to his room.

He turned on his phone and found several texts from friends that he had let know he was fine this morning and looked at the last one from Bella.

_**I miss you, I love you, I'm sorry, please call xxoo B**_

His heart stopped and his lower lip trembled holding back the tears. Could he forgive her? Could he move past this? Deep down he knew he couldn't. It was in him to be faithful and loyal and he wasn't sure he could be with her anymore. But his heart wanted to believe that it was one time and that he could forgive her and move past it. He didn't want to spend the rest of his life wondering if she would do this again. He knew he had to hear her voice and listen to what she had to say, he just could not do it right now. Hearing her voice would tear him apart.

_**We need to talk. I will call you tomorrow sometime. **_

Before he sent it, he decided to say the words to her that truly broke him.

_**I still love you, I will always love you regardless of what happens. You are in my heart forever even if we are not with each other….. E**_

* * *

**Chapter Seven**

The rest of Thursday was quiet and everyone pretty much did their own thing. Emmett grilled the meal that was intended for their arrival and everyone sat around the table sharing memories from when they were kids and came to the lake. Edward informed them that he would be talking to Bella the next day, so they respected his silence.

Alice had spent the whole day on the phone with publications wanting a statement and Jasper, Rosalie, and the studio that produced the new movie that Edward and Bella were starring in. This was causing quite the problem for them even though they still had six months to see how everything played out. They were expected to be on the red carpet together, do interviews together, and attend photo shoots together. She had been getting grief from Rosalie all day about his whereabouts and Jasper's agency was so swamped he had to find another additional person to help cover phones because one person was not enough. This was a mess and just when she was ready to call it a night, Bella's agent had the nerve to call her and demand to know where Edward was because her client was "distraught and inconsolable". Like Alice gave a shit about how Bella was feeling right now.

The magazine would be on shelves tomorrow and before she decided to turn in early at eleven o'clock, Jasper called Alice with some more news.

"Hi, honey. I know you wanted to turn in early, but something has come up," he sounded exhausted and pissed.

Alice was not looking forward to this, "Tell me."

"More pictures are being released tomorrow online. Same people, different dates. These are dated a few months ago when they were filming in Georgia. They were in a restaurant and let's just say they were not eating food, their mouths looked entirely too busy to actually eat, they are nuzzled in a booth together. Cannot tell if they are actually kissing or not, but it doesn't look good."

"SHIT! You have got to be fucking kidding me?! Same publication?" This was just getting worse.

"Nope, these are from _Hollywood Life_," great the worst gossip rag with the highest sales and fan base. Fortunately, they were wrong so often that people rarely looked to them for an accurate story. They also had the worst pictures; they were usually grainy and distorted. Normally she would not worry about it, but with the addition of the other pictures and stories, who knew where is could lead. "You need to tell Edward now."

"Any idea when they are going public?" So much for getting some sleep tonight.

"They are in competition with _Celebrity Weekly_, so I am assuming they are going to have this online first thing in the morning seeing as the magazine will be on shelves starting in the early morning. Do you want me on the phone when you talk to him?"

"No, but I will call you when after I talk to him. It might be pretty late."

He chuckled, "Oh, trust me; I will not be getting any sleep tonight." She knew exactly what he meant.

After exchanging a good luck and I love you, Alice stood in the middle of her room wondering how she was going to break more bad news to Edward. She decided that she had to do it now in case he woke up first thing and checked his phone and heard about it from someone else. She opened the door and walked down the hall to his room. The light was still on, so she gently knocked before opening the door. Edward was lying on the bed with ear buds in, his eyes were closed, but she knew he was not sleeping.

She walked up to him and put a hand on his knee causing him to open his eyes immediately. He removed the buds from his ears and sat up. He knew something was wrong; you don't know someone for over twenty years and not know how to read them. "Alice, what's wrong?"

"Jasper just called. There are new pictures of James and Bella coming out tomorrow," she paused and he nodded for her to continue. "Edward, it's bad. It is of the two of them out in a restaurant in Georgia, he said the pictures are not that great, but it looks like they might be kissing. They were taken about two months ago during filming."

He sat there staring at her, the red creeping from his neck to his forehead. "Are you sure?" Edward was about ready to lose it, she could tell. At that moment, she seriously wanted to beat the shit out of Bella Swan.

"Yes, Jasper saw them; they are going live on _Hollywood Life's_ site in the morning." He jumped off the bed and threw his empty duffel bag against the wall.

"WHAT THE FUCK! HOW MUCH MORE OF THIS SHIT CAN I TAKE?" He was shaking and for the first time ever, Alice was scared of her best friend.

Between his yelling and the banging he woke up Emmett and Elizabeth. Alice realized she should have maybe told them the news before Edward and they all could have told him together. Stupid move. He was cursing and throwing random objects and Emmett ran to grab him and tackled him on the bed.

"EDWARD! CALM DOWN! WHAT IS GOIN ON?" Emmett yelled as he and Elizabeth both looked at Alice. She quickly gave them a rundown causing Elizabeth to start crying and Emmett, who was on top of Edward, to shake his head and mutter what Alice swore was _fucking whore_ under his breath.

Edward was crying now. This was it. The breakdown they all knew was coming. Slowly, Emmett let Edward go. It was horrible to witness.

Before we knew what was happening, Edward grabbed his phone. They all knew exactly who he was going to call, and this time no one moved to stop him.

Bella answered on the first ring, "Edward?"

He was fast and swift with his words, "Get the fuck out of my house! I want you gone by the end of the weekend! I don't give a shit where you go, just get out! I am sure James Jackson has a spot for you in his house with his other whores!" He was pacing around the small room, yanking his fingers through his hair and in their wake; they left his auburn hair standing up in all directions.

Bella was sobbing; she had never heard Edward speak to her in this way, or anyone else for that matter. "Let me explain, I know you heard about the pictures in Geor..."

"STOP! It's done, it's over! I will never trust you again, and thanks to you, I may never trust anyone else. I gave you everything I had! Get out of the house, go shack up with James Jackson since you two are so fucking close!" Edward looked and felt like a complete madman. No one in the room dared to get in his way.

"Just tell me where you are! I will come to you and we can talk about this!" She was hysterical and he could care less.

"No, I don't want to see you! Stop texting me and calling me! Get out of the house!" He slammed his hand against the wall and kicked the dresser.

"We need to talk face to face, please?" she begged. "We can work this out! I am so sorry!"

"The only thing you are sorry about is that you got caught. I will contact you if and when I am ready to talk to you in person. As for the engagement ring, keep it. Let it be a reminder of how badly you fucked up your life," he didn't even wait for her reply before disconnecting the call.

He looked around the room and saw that everyone had witnessed the call. It was over and he felt as though a part of him had died. He sunk to the floor and cried for his loss. Elizabeth was at his side whispering in his ear that it would be alright, Emmett turned and left the room, and Alice felt horrible for revealing the news that had broken Edward. No one said anything. Alice went to her room to call Jasper and Elizabeth finally got Edward into bed. Jack had packed some sleeping pills for her to take, just in case. She went to her bathroom and retrieved the bottle along with a glass of water. Edward hated taking anything like this, but he did not fight her tonight. He wanted to sleep, he wanted to forget. She sat with him stroking his hair until he drifted off and then went back to her room.

On her way back to her room, she stopped at Alice's room. Her best friend had looked so distraught at what they had all witnessed. She knew Alice well, and she knew she was probably beating herself up about telling Edward what she did.

Alice's door was opened and she was sitting in the middle of the bed looking at her phone. "How is he?"

Elizabeth walked over and sat on the end of the bed facing her friend, "He is asleep. I gave him some sleeping pills that Jack gave me. Look, Alice, this is not your fault. You did the right thing; he would have woken up first thing in the morning and checked the web on his phone. Don't beat yourself up."

"I know, but the look on his face, Elizabeth, I will never forget it. All I could think about is how much I hate her for doing this to him!" Elizabeth nodded in agreement. "I called Jasper and he is going to arrange for someone to be there when she moves out. He will call her agent tomorrow. I don't want her moving shit out without someone there. Maybe if Jack is off he can be there, too?"

Elizabeth agreed, "I will talk Jack tomorrow and find out."

"He has to get over this. I mean, he is too young and to good of a person for this to be the end for him. I don't want him to be alone because of this." Elizabeth had the same fear. When Edward loved, he loved hard and Bella had been "it" for him.

"I hope so, El. I really hope so." Alice looked up to see Emmett standing in the doorway with three beers in his hand.

"Hey, ladies, I thought we could all use this right about now," he handed them both their beers. "I knew that if one more thing happened he would snap. I could just feel it," he took a long pull on his beer.

They sat in silence finishing their beers before bidding good-night to one another. Tomorrow was going to be another long day and they decided to get some rest. Elizabeth knew she had to call Jack and her parents who she had not reached yet because they were on a cruise. According to their itinerary, they would be docked in Greece tomorrow. She was hoping to get in touch with them before they heard the news from someone else.

Once she was alone, Alice still sat there feeling like the worst friend ever. As she went to turn the light off and crawl under the covers her phone signaled that she had a message. It was from Jasper and she smiled when she read it.

_**This is not your fault. I love you and Edward loves you. It was best he heard the news from you. I love you.**_

She smiled knowing that this man knew her so well. Jasper was the first man she ever loved. Most men were intimidated by her relationship with Edward, but Jasper was not. He understood that Edward, Elizabeth, and she were family and that she and Edward had never felt that way about one another. For a moment she put herself in Edward's shoes and could not imagine Jasper doing something like this, she would be just as destroyed by it as he was. Tomorrow she would not be his employee, she would be his friend and help him through this the same way he would be there for her.

The next morning, Alice, Elizabeth and Emmett were sitting in the kitchen looking at the article. Emmett woke up in the morning and high-tailed it to the corner store to get the new issue of _Celebrity Weekly_. Of course, he got three copies so they would each have their own. Elizabeth looked in on Edward before they met in the kitchen and he was out cold. She had worried about giving him two of the sleeping pills, but a quick call to Jack put her mind at ease. He also agreed to be at Edward's house to oversee the move since he had the entire weekend off.

"Okay, I have had enough! I cannot look at this shit anymore," Emmett had spent the past twenty minutes muttering choice words like _whore, bitch, slut, liar, _and various other phrases, some Elizabeth and Alice had never even heard before.

"I second that, between this and the new pictures, I am getting ready to throw my computer into the lake," Alice woke early to look at the new pictures. Oh yeah, they were pretty bad. She secretly hoped that Edward did not look at them the first time with her in the room, because she could not stand to see what it would do to him. "I spoke to Bella's agent earlier," she wasn't kidding when she said earlier, she called her at three am California time, she figured if she wasn't sleeping, neither should he. "He is going to call me back when he finds out the day she is moving her stuff out. Then I had to hear about how distraught and sorry she was for everything and how she was lost without Edward."

"Good, the whore deserves it! Bitch needs to own up to her mistake and realize that she blew the best thing that would ever happen to her." Emmett was the easiest going guy, but screw over one of his own, and you are done in his book.

"Look, Emmett, although I am quick to agree with your choice of words to describe Bella, please do not call her those things in front of Edward," Elizabeth knew that Edward was upset, but she also knew that he still loved Bella very much and it was not going to go away overnight, and she did not want him anymore upset than he already was.

Emmett pouted, "Fine, but if he calls her names, I will too," so mature for a fancy New York City lawyer.

"El, Jack said he could be there this weekend once we get a date, is Jasper going to be there, too?" Alice nodded to Elizabeth and they heard the shower start above them. They all looked at each other as Pat grabbed the magazines to hide them.

"Wait, he knows it's out and he definitely knows that one of us probably got a copy. We cannot hide it," Alice pulled one of the copies out of Pat's hand. "Give it to me, if he asks, I will give it to him," she walked over to her bag on the stool and put the magazine inside.

The kitchen became a whirlwind of activity. Elizabeth made a fresh pot of coffee and Pat was scrambling some eggs and making toast to put on a plate for Edward. Alice was making good on the promise to herself; she got up early this morning and did her work. This meant waking up people on the west coast at an ungodly hour, but she wanted to be there for Edward today, not constantly on her laptop or Blackberry.

"So what is the plan for the day? I did not spend the whole day cleaning up that damn boat yesterday for it to sit in the slip. I say we pack up some food and head out on the water!" Emmett was more than eager to turn this into a normal getaway.

"Sounds good to me," they all turned to see Edward in the doorway of the kitchen. He looked dramatically better, the dark circles were almost gone from ten hours sleep he had, he had shaved, and he was wearing a t-shirt and shorts. Still missing was the sparkle in his eyes and the smile that lit up his face and everyone else's around him. His eyes still held the sadness he was feeling and his smile was forced.

"Girls, what do you say?" Emmett looked at Elizabeth and Alice was smiled and nodded. "First, you eat while we pack up a lunch," he pointed for Edward to sit down and put the plate of food in front of him. "I will get the booze, you girls get the food!" He was off to the boat to get the coolers they would need.

Edward looked out the windows at the lake, it was a gorgeous day and in the distance he could see the lines boats on the horizon. The weekenders were starting to arrive and everyone wanted to take advantage of the day. He forced the meal down his throat, knowing he needed to eat even though the food was hard to get down. Elizabeth and Alice were chopping fruit and making sandwiches for the day.

When Edward woke up, he had felt so well rested, and spent some time in bed replaying the night before. He felt like a fool knowing now what had been going on behind his back. Oddly, Bella spent a large portion of their relationship afraid that he would leave her that he would cheat on her. Did she feel that way because that is what she was doing to him? The trust was gone. He had replayed so many conversations of theirs in his head over the past few days and found himself doubting them all. He needed to be away from her for awhile, and the first step was getting her out of the house. He pulled up the internet on his phone and looked at the new images. He felt numb, he couldn't react anymore. The temper from last night was not him, he was not that person and he refused to become that way. He scared his family; he could see it in their eyes. He never wanted the people he loved who stood by his side to ever fear him.

After shutting his phone down, he showered and shaved. As he looked in the mirror as he shaved he felt better but saw a much different man staring back. He was only twenty-nine years old and he felt as though his dreams of having his own family were gone. He could not imagine loving another woman like the way he loved Bella. She would always be a part of his life, and thanks to work, he knew that he would have to have a conversation with her eventually in person, but right now he wanted to escape reality and gain the strength to face what waited for him back home.

"Edward?" Elizabeth interrupted his thoughts. "I got in touch with mom and dad this morning to tell them where we were," thank God for Elizabeth, Edward could not have handled that conversation with his mom right not. "They wanted to come, but I told them to continue with their vacation. They will be back in the city in a few weeks, they will expect to see you soon, I can only hold them off for so long," Edward knew this all too well. Carlisle and Esme Cullens were great parents, the kind that supported their children and were there for them in every sense. Carlisle was a retired doctor and Esme was a best-selling mystery writer. They retired to travel and were rarely home, but they loved their life and tried to see their children every chance they could get.

"Thanks, Elizabeth. I know she means well, but I really cannot handle mom right now," Elizabeth understood. When she told her mom what had happened she immediately cried, she had been so thrilled that Edward was getting married. Her father took the phone from her asking if they should come home. When she explained she thought it would be best to give Edward some time, he agreed and asked that she keep them posted.

"No problem. I am going to see if Pat needs any help outside," Elizabeth knew that Alice and Edward needed to talk. Alice had been beating herself up since last night. No one wants to be the bearer of bad news, especially when it breaks your best friend's heart.

"I am so sorry, Edward," Alice's voice was so small he barely heard her.

"Why are you sorry?" Edward looked at her concerned and grabbed her hand to pull her down onto the chair beside him.

"Telling you last night, the way I blurted it out. I shouldn't have done it that way," she meant that. If she could go back, she would have talked to Elizabeth and Emmett and all of them could have sat down at brought it up. She felt selfish with the way she told him. She had this information and it was as if she just wanted to get it out her head as fast as she could.

"Alice, stop. You did nothing wrong. As badly as I reacted, I should be apologizing to you. I saw how I scared you, but this is not your fault," he could not stand that he was making the people he loved feel this way. First Elizabeth and now Alice, the two people who were there for him always and he managed to make them both feel like shit in the span of two days. "Look, it was bad news regardless of who told me, but having someone I care about telling me is far better than getting a package in the mail."

Alice looked up at him with tears in her eyes, "This is not fair that this is happening to you. You deserve to be happy and for someone to treat you right, that is all we want for one another," she brushed a stray tear from her cheek. "Have you seen them?" Edward knew she meant the new pictures.

"Yes, I did. Did Emmett get the magazine?" She smiled through her tears because they all knew each other so well and nodded. She walked over to her bag to retrieve the magazine and set it in front of him.

She watched as he slowly opened the magazine and flipped to the page with the photos. Among the photos of Bella and James Jackson, there were many pictures of Bella and Edward together, including their engagement photo. He read through the article chewing on his lower lip. They even had a picture of him on the same day the affair photos were taken leaving Jasper's office. Rubbing it in how oblivious he was to what was going on.

After a few minutes, he closed the magazine and pushed it to the middle of the table. "This entire thing makes me look like an ignorant ass, El." He put his head in his hands.

"NO! Don't think that! You are not the one who did this, she did! Please, no one feels that way!" She was so angry that Bella was making him feel this way. "Look at me," he brought his eyes to hers, "You cannot do this to yourself. We all trusted her. Please stop blaming yourself, this is not your fault." She pulled him towards her.

Elizabeth walked in and saw the magazine sitting on the table and came over to Edward's other side to embrace him. The three of them were huddled together when Emmett decided to walk in. "What the hell? Come on guys!" When they all looked at him, he was by them in three strides circling his arms around all of them.

The four of them stayed like that for at least ten minutes before separating. Edward looked at the three people around him and knew at that moment he would be okay with them by his side.

* * *

**Chapter Eight**

The next few days for the group were spent on the boat and enjoying the time away from real life. Although he still had a lot weighing on his mind, Edward felt a little more relaxed and enjoyed his private time. It was Sunday, and Bella was moving out today. She had left countless messages about wanting to wait until he came home, but he would not change his mind. After much thought he realized one thing, even if he was to take her back, they would not be able to fall back into what they were, they would have to start over.

No one talked about Bella and the reason they were all really there. Edward assumed "no news is good news" because if anything new was happening, Alice would have told him. He knew that she was up late and up early checking sites and making calls when he was not around.

Today was hard though, Bella moving out just made it so much more real. He was glad that Jack and Jasper would be there and make sure everything went smoothly. Alice had told him that her agent contacted her to let her know that Bella would not be there since Jasper and Jack were there to oversee everything. Apparently on Friday she moved out her personal items and was staying elsewhere, so there were only a few pieces of furniture and some boxes that were left to move out.

They would all be returning to LA on Thursday late and unfortunately their return flight would be landing at LAX, something Edward was not looking forward to. Alice had already contacted Sam and Ken, his two usual security men. They would be waiting at the gate. Alice said everyone was trying to find him; in fact there was a Twitter page dedicated to finding out where he was. He had already been spotted in Canada, Mexico, Vegas, and NYC. He hated it. He knew that it came with his job, but this was ridiculous. He had no privacy and it was killing him.

The others left him alone on Sunday, they knew that reality was setting in hard and he needed some time alone. When Jasper called Alice to let her know the move was done, he retreated to the boat with a six-pack and sat on the deck looking at the stars wondering what was awaiting him back in LA.

Around midnight, he made his way back inside to go to bed. The house was quiet and it appeared everyone was asleep. The six beers were causing him to stumble a bit, he was a total lightweight, and he fell into his bed not bothering to undress. He hated sleeping alone. He never got used to it, he had become accustomed to Bella sleeping next to him and waking up in her arms for the past five years. He hated being on location when she could not travel with him. He had not been sleeping well, and he refused Elizabeth's offer of sleeping pills again, he hated taking any type of drug. Jasper was arriving in afternoon tomorrow and Alice mentioned that the three of us had some things to discuss about the return trip to LA. He had to do publicity on his new film and they still had not arranged the details. The premiere was that Friday in LA, making it his first public appearance since the affair. Finally, at two am, his mind turned off long enough for him to drift off to sleep.

To say that Alice was excited for Jasper's arrival was an understatement. She had missed him terribly and could not wait to see him. She woke up early, as she had been doing the past four days, and started to get some work done. Sure enough, pictures were plastered on the net of Edward's house and all the moving trucks from the day before. He had already hinted several times over the weekend that he wanted to sell the house, this will cement his decision. He had purchased the house believing that is where Bella and he would raise a family, so she knew it made sense for him to sell and make a new start.

Jasper had taken an early morning flight and would be here this afternoon and they decided to meet with Edward and get all the business over with so he could have a few days to relax. His office phone, cell phone, and emails were constantly going off over the past week, and he was looking for a break from it.

While emailing Rosalie, yet again, Emmett walked into the den with coffee for her. "I thought you could use this seeing as you get up so damn early."

"Thank you! What are you doing up this early?" He came and sat across from her.

"I wanted to talk to you about something," he leaned forward on the desk. "I have a client who has been asking me to come out to LA and assist him with some new business ventures. I am thinking about taking him up on it. It would be for six months, and I think that it would be a good idea to come and be there with Edward for a while. Also, I miss you guys, didn't realize how much until this week."

"EMMETT! That would be great! We all miss you, too!" Alice was sure everyone would be excited about it. They had all loved being with him the past week. "When would you come?"

"Well, I am thinking of going back to the city tomorrow and getting things together and coming back here to fly to LA with you guys. I know Edward is going to need all of our support when he gets home."

They talked about where he was going to stay and he said he was hoping to crash with Edward because he knew how hard it was going to be for him to be back in the house alone. Alice thought it was a great idea.

A few hours later, as Alice was finishing up her work, she heard a car pull up. She looked out the window and saw Jasper getting out of a rental car. She looked at the clock and saw it was only eleven in the morning, he wasn't supposed to be here until afternoon. She threw open the door and screamed his name before leaping into his arms.

"WOW! I miss you, too!" Jasper was laughing at the tiny woman who had her arms around his neck and legs wrapped around his waist.

"What are you doing here?" Jasper put her down so he could grab his bags from the rentals trunk.

"I took an earlier flight. I needed to get out of town and get to you," he places a kiss on her lips. When they went to walk up the stairs, everyone had heard her screaming and had come to the front door to see what was going on.

He shook hands with Emmett and kissed Elizabeth on her cheek before stopping in front of Edward. He looked better than he did last week, he looked a little skinnier and his eyes looked tired, but he was improving. "Hey, Edward. Good to see you," he hugged his friend and client.

"Thanks, you, too. Although I think someone else is more excited to see you," he pulled away from Jasper and nodded towards Alice.

"Well, feeling is mutual," he pulled Alice to his side. "Why don't you show me where to put my bag and we can get business out of the way," Emmett moved forward and took Jasper's bags.

"I will take your stuff up to Alice's room so you three can talk. Come out to the boat when you are done, we can relax and have some drinks later."

Jasper handed off his bags, "Thanks, man. That sounds perfect." He needed several drinks after this crazy week.

As Edward, Alice, and Jasper moved into the house and headed towards the den, Elizabeth and Emmett went out to the boat to give them some privacy.

Before they could all have a seat, Jasper started the meeting. "Okay, so LA is nuts right now. Everyone is looking for you, fans are going nuts. Expect pandemonium when you return. They are pissed at Bella and her agent said she has been getting death threats. I have Rosalie breathing down my back every hour, the studio is concerned, and we need to get your schedule together for the next week," he did not waste any time unloading on them.

"I am sorry for blurting all this out, but I need to get some answers to people, and soon. Swear to God, Rosalie is going to the FBI if I don't give her something," that woman was brutal. Edward added her to the team six years ago because she is feared by reporters. She tells them not to ask something in an interview, generally they listen, if they did not listen to her, she could be horrifically cruel. Seeing as Edward is such a private person, she was the perfect person for him to have as a publicist. But the past week, she has taken all her aggression out on Jasper, and quite frankly, she scared the shit out of him.

Alice looked over at Edward who was obviously still digesting all the information that Jasper just threw at him. "Edward, I think you may need to talk to Rosalie and just let her know you are okay," he nodded. "Have you given anymore thought to making a statement?"

"I have, and I would like a statement released by either you or Jasper on my behalf. Is that fine?" He looked between the two of them.

"Sure, no problem. We just need to give them something," Jasper looked at Alice. "I think you should be the one to do it. You are his assistant and manager and I think it would be more believable that it was from him. Think you are okay with that?" Alice nodded. "Good, then let's release it to the LA Times. I want to stay away from the gossip rags. I have already seen preview covers of all of them that are coming out this week. Edward, you are on the cover of every single one. A few even come out with special issues for the story." Edward closed his eyes, this was the worst.

Jasper moved forward, "Next is your premiere this Friday. Red carpet only, no questions. You will have a press junket the next day that both Alice and Rosalie will be there for. I have a list of questions that Rosalie compiled that they are NOT allowed to ask you. They ask and Rosalie will pull you from the interview, plain and simple. They are only to ask you about the movie. Because this was an independent film, you will not have to do any of the big talk shows this time around." Both Alice and Edward nodded. "Sunday you leave for New York City for the movie's premiere and junket there."

"Lastly, the studio is nervous about their big premiere in six months for _My Love's Past_. You and Bella are their money-makers, and they have a lot riding on this film. Like your other films, they had hoped to use your personal relationship to plug the film. Now they are sweating it. They want to talk to you as soon as possible when you get back to LA, I can arrange a phone conference. They have already been in contact with Bella, and they are not happy with her." Edward's head was spinning with all that he had to deal with when he returned home.

"Oh, one more thing," Jasper pulled a script out of his bag and he suddenly had a big grin on his face. "I have some good news. Remember how _Taking Chances _was put on the back burner a few months ago?" _Taking Chances_ was a script that Edward had loved as soon as he read it. The studio only wanted him for the part, but they delayed it for a year. "Well, the day you left LA, they called me. They got the green light to move forward sooner. You leave for England after the New York City trip to start filming. They want to move quickly on it since it has already been held back once. You will be there for two months."

This was good news. Edward finally saw that light at the end of the tunnel. The time away in England would be a Godsend.

Alice looked excited, "Wow, Edward! That is great!"

"You know, you could have started with that news and the rest would have settled easier," Edward smiled at Jasper.

"Nah, what's the fun in that?" Edward shook his head at him. "So, let's get this statement out of the way and get in touch with Rosalie so I can finally get on that boat and relax!"

An hour later, Edward had talked to Rosalie, well she yelled and he listened. She demanded to know where he was right away because she said she was coming to him. He finally convinced her that he was fine and that he would be back in LA on Thursday. And they had a statement from Alice that Rosalie was going to release. It was short and simple:

_**Due to recent events, Edward Cullen has decided to take some personal time with family. He thanks you for your concerns and well wishes. He will be attending scheduled events and interviews for his new movie "Harbor" this coming Friday in Los Angeles and Sunday in New York City.**_

Before he went upstairs to change, Jasper stopped Edward and told Alice he would meet her upstairs. "Edward, I am truly sorry you have to go through this. You are my client, but like I said before, I consider you a friend first. We will get you through this, I promise."

"Thanks, I appreciate everything. I feel like a pain in the ass to everyone right now. Going to England is going to be great; it is exactly what I need right now."

"The studio is going to be on you about a reconciliation. Your contract states that all you have to do is attend premieres with Bella and do joint interviews. Do not let them bully you into anything. I insisted that I attend all studio meetings with you and be in on all conference calls. You both are still under contract to make two more movies, but I am working on releasing you from that. However, if this next one is a box office hit, I have to warn you, they may not let it go." Edward knew exactly what he meant. If you made the studio money, they did not care about anything else.

"Thanks, Jasper. Now go enjoy your time off." Edward directed him to his room and walked out to the boat hell bent on enjoying his last days of peace.

* * *

**Chapter Nine**

The rest of their time flew by. Emmett had gone to NYC with Elizabeth tagging along to see her publisher. Alice, Jasper, and Edward spent time on the boat and watching movies trying to relax before heading back to LA. Emmett was going to be staying at Edward's house and taking care of it while he was in London. He decided to hold off on the decision to sell until he completed his next movie.

On his last evening at the lake house, after everyone was asleep, Edward made his way down to the boat. As he sat on the deck staring out at the calmness of the water, he took out his phone and found her name. His thumb hovered over her name and he took a deep breath. He knew they had to talk, but he feared that it was still too soon for him. Over the past few days, he thought about what he wanted. He loved her but so many questions and doubts wrestled around in his mind. He loved wanted to forgive her more than anything, but how could he trust her again?

Finally giving in, he touched her name and heard the ringing. "Edward?" Her voice still made his heart race, she sounded so sad, so different.

"Hi, Bella," all of the sudden everything he had wanted to say was gone. He lost all train of thought and his voice cracked as it found the words to say. "I wanted you to know that I am coming back to LA tomorrow, I have the premiere and press starting on Friday."

She was breathing heavy, "I figured. Edward, I need to see you and explain things to you. This past week I feel as though a part of me is missing, I love you," the sobs overtook her and his shut his eyes to block out his own tears.

"I know we need to talk, but I do need time. I cannot close my eyes for a second without seeing pictures of the two of you, I cannot go online without seeing pictures and reading about my private life on every news site," his voice was rising, and he fought to stay calm. "Do you think I do not miss you? That a part of me isn't missing? Well, I do. It is a constant pain knowing that each morning when I wake up, you will not be lying next to me. You chose to take away that part of me and I don't know if I will ever get it back. You are going to have to give me this time, you have no choice," he paused and heard her crying, his heart breaking all over again. "After the premiere on Friday, I will be going to New York City for the premiere and press there. After that, I am leaving for London for two months. When I come back, we can talk."

"TWO MONTHS? Edward, I am not going to wait for two months to see you!" He could hear the panic in her voice.

"Well, you really should have thought about that before you screwed someone else! You did this to us, you broke my heart and our life together! I have no idea what to do or where to go from here. I need time. I need to know if I can get past what you did and move forward. Right now, I cannot make that judgment for myself."

She was crying much harder and trying to catch her breath, "What about our engagement?"

Edward knew this was going to be hard, he knew what he had to say. Over the past week, the one thing he knew for sure was that even if they stayed together, they would have to start over. He would need to learn to trust her again, and for that to happen, they unfortunately would have to move backwards in their relationship. This meant her moving out and ending their engagement.

"I think that its best if we break it off," his voice broke at the words he just spoke.

"Please, Edward? I will wait the two months, I will give you the time, just please don't end this, please!" Her voice was breaking him, he felt the weakness he had for her starting to take over. He started to doubt if his decision was too much. "Are your sister and Alice telling you to end this?" He was waiting for that, she knew how close the three of us were, and it was natural for her to think they were swaying his decision.

Looking up at the clear night and the stars above, he took a moment to clear his doubts. This is what he needed to do. He needed to take the time for himself and figure out if he could ever get past her deception.

"Bella, please do not make this any harder than it has to be. Did you think I would forgive you so easily? Please do not place the blame on my family. You know my thoughts on cheating. You know that it was a deal breaker for me. We discussed the issue at length, several times. Yet, you chose to disrespect our relationship and you did it anyways. Now you are acting surprised at the consequences? Well, like I said before, stop making me out to be the bad guy. I was not the one caught fucking someone else! And while we are at it, you lied to me about it. You sat there and told me it was this onetime thing, and now there are pictures of another tryst? God, Bella! Don't make me feel guilty about shit!"

"I didn't sleep with him until two weeks ago. The other pictures were just of us kissing and …" he cut her off.

"JUST KISSING? Jesus, Bella! You are unreal! Why the hell would you think that it would be okay to just kiss him? I cannot believe you! We had everything! I thought you were happy! I thought we wanted the same things! I hope he was worth throwing it all away!"

"He wasn't! I love you! If I could take it back, I would! I am not perfect, I am allowed to make mistakes and if you love me like you say, then you would forgive me!"

"If you loved me you would never had been with him in the first place," he was whispering now. He would not get angry and yell like he had the other night, he would not give that to her. "Look, I am not doing this anymore. This is why I need time, maybe you need it just as much as I do."

She was quiet and her breathing was softer, "Can we still talk? Email? Text? I just want to make sure you are okay. Please don't make me cut off communication with you."

He knew what he should say, but his inability to deny her anything came into play and he whispered, "Sure, I will contact you once I am settled in London. I need to get through the premiere and the press junket. I will be dealing with a lot," he heard her sigh in relief. "Look, I have to go. I just wanted to talk to you before I came home and things got crazy."

"Okay, thanks. I do love you." His heart was aching at her words.

"I love you, too. I always will." They said their good-byes and hung up.

Edward sat on the deck of the boat for another hour before going inside. When he opened up the kitchen door, he was greeted by a small gasp causing him to jump. When he looked over to the refrigerator, he saw Elizabeth getting something to drink.

"God, Edward! You scared the shit out of me! Where were you?" Her hand was clutched over her heart as he laughed.

"I was out on the boat. I had something to take care of," he reached behind her to grab his own drink.

"What were you taking care of?"

"I called Bella," a small '_oh' _fell from her lips.

"Are you okay?"

"I think I will be, Elizabeth. Eventually," he leaned forward to kiss her on the cheek. "Thank you for being here for me. I know you have your own life, but I don't know what I would do without you here."

"Edward, you never have to thank me, I am your sister. It's what we do for each other. Like how I expect you to attend my new book launch in New York when you come home from London," she winked at him.

"Have I ever missed one?" she shook her head. "Well, long day tomorrow, I am off to bed. Night."

"Night, Edward. And you will be okay, I know it."

When he finally laid down in bed, for the first time in over a week, he fell right to sleep comforted by his sister's faith.

* * *

**Chapter Ten**

When they returned to LA, Edward was greeted by the paparazzi at the airport and they were staked outside his house. Luckily, that had Sam and Ken escorting them, but the police still had to be called to help them get up the driveway and then they all decided to stay the night because they could not get back out. Elizabeth saw the sadness in Edward's eyes when he returned to the house. Bella had not taken any furniture so at first glance it appeared like nothing had changed, but he knew it had. Her personal items, her smell, and her very essence were gone. He sat down on his favorite piece of furniture, his piano bench. Edward had played since he was five years old; it was his second biggest passion next to his love for Bella. He raised his hands over the keys and his breath was still. He had no desire to play right now; the memories of her sitting next to him on this very bench as he serenaded her became painfully clear. It was even harder when he went into the master bedroom. The next morning, Elizabeth found him asleep on the couch.

The morning of the LA premiere, Edward and Jasper had a conference call with the studio reassuring them that he would honor the commitments that were detailed in his contract. It was a mentally exhausting phone call with them as they asked Edward about a possible reconciliation. Thank God Jasper handled it for him, pointing out the key points in his contract and deflecting from their question.

Rosalie showed up early at Edward's house to "access the situation" she was going to have to be dealing with. She was armed with new suits for Edward and completely pissed that she had to call in someone for last minute alterations due to the weight Edward had lost, the only thing she was happy about was that he had managed to get a tan.

"God, Edward! Did you not sleep? How the fuck are we going to cover up those dark circles?" Edward looked at Alice and rolled his eyes. She had someone come in and take care of his hair and beard. They argued for twenty minutes that he wanted to keep the beard and Rosalie wanted it off. Finally, they compromised; she said he could keep it if he trimmed it up. She allowed him to keep his hair longer. Woman went nuts over his hair, even though she thought it looked like he just got out of bed. Sam had to pull away countless women who tried to pull at it when he was in crowds. He was going to have to cut it in London anyways for his new role.

The day progressed with Alice and Rosalie going over Edward's schedule for this weekend in LA and NYC and preparing for his interviews. Rosalie reminded Alice that although she sent a list of preferred questions to the media outlets, some would still try to sneak other questions into the interview. All but one of the interviews was pre-taped, so if there was anything major brought up, she would try her hardest to do damage control. She seemed concerned about the one live interview, but Alice knew that Rosalie would make sure she prepared Edward for it.

Everyone was going to attend the premiere tonight and starting tomorrow, Alice and Rosalie would accompany Edward to his press junket in LA and they would travel to NYC with him for the premiere and press there. Normally, Alice did not travel with Edward to these events, but under the circumstances, she wanted to be there with him. She was also planning on travelling to London with him.

Finally, six o'clock came around and the car that would take Alice, Rosalie, and Edward had arrived to take them to the premiere. Jasper was attending with his agency, since this was still a work night for him, and Jack, Elizabeth, and Emmett were going to meet them inside the Nokia Theater. As the three piled in the car, Edward was looking very nervous. He looked handsome in his new dark charcoal gray Armani suit paired with a white shirt and black tie. Alice and Rosalie were both dressed in simple black dresses. Rosalie was bitching on her Blackberry never stopping to let the person speak on the other line. Alice wondered if she ever dated or had any family. She was just such an angry bitch.

Edward's leg was bouncing up and down and he was chewing on his lower lip. His face was flushed, a sign that he was very nervous. Alice placed her hand over his knee, "Edward, relax. You know the drill. Smile, wave, and sign a few autographs, and head inside. You have done this a thousand times." He nodded his head up and down. This was the first red carpet he had walked alone in almost five years; at least having Alice on the sidelines was some comfort to him.

The car came to a stop and Alice heard the screaming coming from the streets. Since he was the star of the movie, Edward was the last to arrive. The door opened, and they were greeted by a smiling Ken who would be Edward's security tonight. Rosalie stepped out of the car first, ignoring Ken's offer of his hand. Ken looked at Alice and rolled his eyes at Rosalie as she accepted his help from the limo, "How is he?" Ken whispered.

Alice shook her head, "Just stay close to him," Ken nodded and squeezed her hand in understanding. Alice had secured Ken for the entire weekend and he was going to be flying to NYC with them.

No sooner did Alice step over to the side that the screams became louder, if that was even possible. She looked over to see Edward stepping out of the limo smiling and waving at the crowd with Ken right by his side, his hand firmly placed on his back. He walked over to the barricade and began to sign autographs, the smile never leaving his face. He moved effortlessly thorough the line of people and then he was escorted to the picture area. Alice watched her friend work the crowd; he looked handsome in his new suit and his longer hair driving his female fans wild. To anyone who did not know Edward, he looked to be recovering just fine from the affair, he may have been a little thinner, but he still looked amazing. He was doing a stand up job being strong right now, but she could tell by his eyes and the red flush of his face, that he just wanted it to be over.

After Edward was chauffeured inside the theater, the rest of the night went extremely well. Edward made an appearance at the after party where he was approached by countless women who he effectively waved off and Ken escorted away. He retired early to rest up for his press junket in the morning. Alice was going to stay at Edward's for the evening since she had to be with him for the junket early the next day.

When Alice and Emmett woke up in the morning, they found Edward asleep on the living room sofa. "Hey, Edward," Alice shook him gently, "wake up." He stirred and his eyes fluttered opened. "What are you doing down here?"

He looked at her sadly, "Couldn't sleep in my bed," he mumbled. She nodded that she understood not wanting to press him.

"You have to get up, we need to leave in an hour. Rosalie has a car coming for us," he nodded and stood up and stretched before heading to the shower. After the press interviews today, they both had to go home and pack because they were heading out to NYC that evening. The premiere there was tomorrow night.

The day went by without a hitch, no one asked any questions about Bella and overall, they were being very respectful towards Edward. When Alice commented to Rosalie about it not being so bad, she replied, "wait until New York," and put her nose back into her Blackberry.

When they arrived in NYC at two am, they were exhausted and retired to their suite. Edward and Alice would share his suite that had three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen area, and a living room. Rosalie was staying down the hall and Alice silently thanked God for that. Her and Edward both took hot showers and fell into their beds.

The next day was the same as Friday's premiere, the only difference was that there seemed to be twice as many people outside the theater and luckily, Ken had made the trip with them, making Alice feel more at ease. As it was, they had to have additional security come out of the studio because the crowd was so rambunctious. Once inside, the cast of the movie retreated to another room while the movie was being viewed since they had already viewed it at Friday's premiere. Edward was laughing and having fun catching up with his costars, and Alice was happy he was relaxing a little bit. Her and Rosalie stood off to the side discussing the interviews for tomorrow. The night flew by and Edward stayed at the after party for about an hour and then they headed back to the hotel.

The day of the press junket they dressed more casually. Edward was wearing a pair of dark jeans and a black t-shirt; he was sporting stubble and the crazy hair style that only he could make look good. He walked over to the kitchen area for coffee, "Are you ready for today?"

"Ready as I will ever be," he joked.

Hours later, they had just been on whirlwind of interviews throughout the day, Alice could not believe the nerve of the last reporter asking Edward if it was true that he had homosexual relationships that led to the Bella's affair. Rosalie stopped the interview and starting ripping into the reporter. It is questionable if she let him get away with his balls intact. This premier and junket were wearing thin on Edward and the anxiety was getting to him.

Rosalie had been great. Her orders to Alice were clear on their way to NYC for this tour, "I will keep the press in line, and you will make sure Edward is okay. If the interview is going in the wrong direction and I have to step in, your job is to make sure Edward is alright and maintains control." Alice nodded. Rosalie was a total bitch, but she knows how to deal with the media.

After the interview with the asshole, Edward was due to go back downstairs for some photo ops before he left. He needed to stand in front of the movie's billboard and pose for hundreds of cameras while people shouted his name, he was none too thrilled. He was drained and about to lose it, she could tell. She talked to him in the elevator and tried to reassure him they were almost done. Rosalie was rapidly firing off an email to the asshole's boss and muttering to herself.

The elevator doors opened and Edward, ever the professional, plastered a smile back on his face. He had been tan from the lake, and he looked amazing and the photographers were eating up his new look. Edward was directed to an 'x' on the floor, and the flashes started, hundreds of flashes and people screaming at him. Rosalie and Alice were directed off to the side and were speaking to one of the publicists from the movie filling him in on what happened upstairs, and that is when it happened.

Edward was smiling and turning in all different directions as his name was called out by the photographers. All of the sudden a male voice bellowed, "Hey Edward! How did it feel to be cheated on by Bella?" Rosalie whipped her head in the voice's direction storming off and Alice looked over at Edward.

Alice saw the red creeping up on his face and he met her eyes and mouthed to her '_I'm done_'and she walked over and took his arm while the movie publicist told everyone that they were done for the day.

Ken had been on hand and was on Edward's other side in a minute. They walked right out the door into the packed NYC street where the driver had the car door opened for them already. Edward and Alice got in as the driver shut the door. They sat waiting for Rosalie.

"Edward, you okay?" He was pissed; his face and neck were bright red.

"No, I am not okay. When will we be done with this shit?" He sat stoic in his seat looking out through the darkened windows onto the street.

"Tomorrow is the last one before you head out to London," the interview tomorrow was for a NYC morning talk show that half the world watched. Only problem, it was live and the person who was interviewing him had a habit of overstepping when it came to questions.

The driver opened the door and Rosalie came swooping in, "Mother fucking assholes!" Alice was glad they were done for the day, between the interviews and Rosalie, she was getting an ulcer. "Seriously, can they not understand simple directions?" She paused to look at Alice and Edward. "Edward, are you okay?"

"No." His tone was harsh and for the first time since Friday, Rosalie shut up and remained that way until they got back to the hotel. As Ken escorted Edward inside, Rosalie pulled Alice aside.

"Keep an eye on him tonight, he looks like he is about to explode," like Alice, Rosalie was dreading the live interview tomorrow.

"Well, do you blame him? How are we going to control the situation tomorrow when he is live?"

Rosalie pulled out her Blackberry, "Oh, I am on it. I will do everything in my power to avoid it, but unfortunately, threats don't always work and reporters are going to do what they feel they need to do to make a name of themselves, especially because Edward has not said a word about Bella. Fucking bitch destroys him and he is the one sent out to the battlefield while she holes herself up somewhere." Alice had to love Rosalie's bluntness, and right now she could not help but agree with her. Rosalie dug around in her bag and pulled out a small bottle and handed it to Alice.

"What's this?" Alice looked at the label.

"Xanax," Alice went to say something, "I know, he hates drugs, blah, blah. Did you see him? I need him to relax before he gives himself a friggin heart attack. Crush them up and put them in his food for all I care. Your job is to calm him down tonight and to make sure he sleeps. I don't need him blowing up on live TV with the world watching tomorrow. And for God's sake, we need to get rid of the damn bags that have taking up residence under his eyes!" She was such a pain in the ass. Alice was about ready to crush up the whole bottle in her room service dinner tonight.

"Look, I will talk to him, but I am not drugging him, Rosalie," she rolled her eyes at Alice. When they first met, Alice could not understand why Rosalie was single, she was absolutely gorgeous, she was tall, blonde, and had striking blue eyes. Then she opened her mouth and found out why she was still single.

"Fine, do it your way, but still take the pills just in case, maybe you should take one, you seem a bit uptight today. I am going up to my room to forget about this long ass day. I will be at your suite at six am tomorrow morning." She turned and walked to the elevators.

Alice walked over to the concierge to ask him if he could have some pizzas delivered from Edward's favorite pizza place before heading up to the suite. Ken walked over to her from his spot by the door. "Everything good, Alice?"

"I wish. I have pizzas coming for Edward, can you bring them up when they get here?"

"Sure, anything else I can do?"

"Yes, can you find the asshole reporter and heckler and kick both their asses for me?" She looked at him sweetly generated a deep laugh from him.

"Trust me, I would if I could," she laughed as she waved at him before getting in the elevator.

When she got to the suite, she found Edward sitting quietly on the couch. She walked over and sat down next to him. "Hey," she nudged him in the arm with her elbow.

"Hey. I am sorry for being a pain in the ass," he looked down at his hands in his lap.

"You have nothing to be sorry for. I am sorry that you had to go through that." Edward looked utterly drained from the day. "Hey, I ordered pizzas from Lombardi's, you need to eat," he smiled and nodded. "I am going to go change."

Edward was exhausted both mentally and physically. He just kept reminding himself that after tomorrow he would be in London for two months and away from all the chaos. The interviews today had been going along well. He was able to deflect the reporters from a few of the questions about Bella and the affair by politely telling them that he was there to promote a movie and would not comment on his personal like. But the homosexual comment threw him for a loop. He had seen the story a few days ago online and laughed it off, but he never expected it to be brought up. Luckily, that was the last interview of the day.

He thought he was in the clear when he heard a man's voice ask him about being cheated on. Something snapped, and he knew he had to get out of there. He was thankful for Alice and Ken getting him out of before he opened his mouth or lunged at the guy. He only had to get through one more interview tomorrow, and he was dreading it.

When Ken brought the pizza up, Edward insisted he stay and eat. Ken was new to his security team and it was the first time he had travelled with Edward, he was filling in for Sam who was his main security guy. There was a Yankees game on TV and Ken and Edward watched it while Alice sat at the table with her laptop and food. She was behind on emails and wanted to catch up. After he finished his pizza, Ken excused himself so he could check out the hotel to make sure that no paparazzi or fans were loitering.

Edward stood to come over to the table and sit with Alice. "Anything new?"

"No, just the same old things. Nothing you need to be concerned about," she pushed her laptop to the side. "Are you ready for the interview tomorrow with Jason Sanders?" Jason Sanders was the host of _NYC Today_, and he was a complete ass. No actors liked to go on his show. He especially hated Edward because he has always refused to answer questions about his personal life. Jason always wants to be the reporter that gets information that others could not.

"I am dreading it after today, Alice. If I could beg my way out of it, I would," he looked so defeated.

"Stick to what Rosalie told you to say about not commenting ever on your personal life. You will be fine, just keep your cool. It will only be a fifteen minute interview," he looked unconvinced by her words.

"I just want to be done with it and on the plane to London. I am embarrassed and humiliated by this whole thing. I am not sure I can deal with anymore right now," Alice looked at Edward noting that the stress was in fact taking its toll and he looked close to breaking down. He was trying to control it, but he was hanging on by a small, rapidly shredding thread.

She stood up and went to get her purse from the living area. She reached inside and pulled out the pill bottle from Rosalie and walked back over to the table and placed it in front of Edward. "What is this?" he picked up the bottle, "Xanax? Alice where did you get these, wait let me guess, Rosalie? I don't need this shit!"

"Okay, hear me out. Yes, they are from Rosalie. I called Jack and he said it is perfectly safe for you to take one. It will help you relax, Edward, you need it. Please?" He rolled the pill bottle in his hands before opening it and removing one pill.

He really needed to relax, the anxiety was buzzing through his body and he knew he would not be able to sleep tonight and he wanted to be alert for the interview tomorrow. "You are sure this is okay?" Alice nodded.

He grabbed a bottle of water and downed the small pill. "Well, I am going to turn in early and try to relax," he kissed her on the cheek. "Thanks for being there today, I don't know if I could have gotten through it without you," he went into his room.

Edward woke up the next morning after nearly twelve hours of uninterrupted sleep to the sound of Rosalie bitching on her phone at some poor soul. He dragged himself out of bed for some coffee and to get ready for his interview.

"Well, good morning sleeping beauty," Rosalie had just finished up her call when Edward walked in, "You took the Xanax, didn't you?" She smiled at him knowingly.

He laughed, "Yes, I did. Thank you. Where's Alice?"

"Getting ready. I want you to wear the light blue shirt and black pants for the interview. Also, this Jason guy is a prick, he will ask about Bella as soon as the camera is rolling. You are going to need to be stern in your tone and nip it in the bud quickly without losing it. I cannot step in on live TV," he nodded in agreement, he found out early on; just agree with everything Rosalie says. "Let the little prick know you are there to promote a movie."

"Can I call him a little prick?" He loved to mess with her.

"Look smart ass, I have had it, I am at my shit limit so go get your ass dressed. Clean up that beard and comb your hair. I will be in the lobby waiting for the car," she grabbed her bag and flew out the door.

Thirty minutes later, Alice and Edward joined Rosalie in the limo for the ride to the studio. There was no time to sign autographs and he had to be rushed inside and wired up. He was now sitting across from Jason waiting to go live.

"Good morning New York! I am here today with Edward Cullens to promote his new film _Harbor,_" he turned to Edward. "Good morning Edward, thanks for joining us," Edward nodded. "So before we talk about your new movie, let's talk about what's been happening in your life. How have you been since the news of the affair broke a few weeks ago?" Shit, the little prick just dove right in.

Edward glanced over at Rosalie who was fuming and Alice who was shaking her head. Taking a deep breath, he put on his smile that he reserved special for media assholes just like Jason, "Well, Jason, as I have said in the past, I do not comment on my personal life. I have not in the past and I am not about to start now. I am here to promote the movie and that is what I intend on doing."

"Well, can you at least tell your fans if you and Bella are still together? Have you seen her?" Edward swore he could hear Rosalie bitching at some guy standing over by the cameras.

"Jason, as I said before, I will not be commenting on my personal life. I thank my fans for their support and encouragement in all aspects of my life, but as my fans they will understand that this is my time to work and promote _Harbor_," Jason looked pissed the man who Rosalie had just been speaking to off stage made a slash across his thought to let Jason know to stop and move on.

The rest of the interview continued with no issues and twenty minutes later he was heading back to the hotel to pack for London. He made it through the premieres and interviews and was ready to get the hell out of town and try to put the past few weeks behind him.

* * *

**Chapter Eleven**

_Two Months Later_

Edward stepped off the plane at JFK and was luckily going along unnoticed through the terminal. He had just finished filming in London, and had a welcome three months off until he had to do anything of any major importance. It was the end of September, his favorite season in New York City, and he was here to support Elizabeth's new book release. He pulled his hoodie tighter over his head as he retrieved his luggage, and that is when he was spotted. It amazed him how people could just pull out a cell phone and put it directly in his face like that to take a picture. He sometimes felt like the animals at a zoo.

He walked out into the brisk air and saw Elizabeth waiting for him at the curb. "EDWARD!" She flew into him so hard; she knocked the breath out of him. "I missed you so much!" They had only seen each other once since he was in London when her and Jack came to visit him about one month ago. Alice had spent six weeks with him before he sent her back to Jasper. She was miserable without him and the feeling was mutual, they were now engaged to be married next year.

"I missed you, too. It feels good to be back." He placed his bags in the backseat and moved up front. "Are you sure it's okay if I stay with you guys?"

"Of course! Alice and Jasper are staying at the Soho Grand, since they will only be here for the weekend. They are arriving tomorrow and then the book launch is Saturday night. I am so excited! I am so proud of this one, it is my tenth novel. Pretty big deal!" He was so proud of his sister. He remembers being her first editor. She handed him her first manuscript and he poured over it with her editing it and polishing it up to send out to publishers.

"The buzz on this book is huge! I leave Wednesday to start the book tour. I will be gone two weeks," Elizabeth could not contain her excitement and it made him laugh. She loved going on book tours, she loved meeting her fans and signing books.

"Yes, it is a huge deal! Are mom and dad going to be there?" It was hard to keep up with the world travelers they had become. They had visited Edward when he first arrived in London. His mother was worried about him and wanted to see him. They spend one week there and then his schedule got crazy. Neither one of them said much about Edward and Bella's future to him, he knew that they wanted him to make up his own mind. There was no doubt that they would support him no matter what decision he made.

"No! Can you believe it? Japan over me! See if they ever get a dedication again," she laughed and looked over at him as they sat in a traffic jam. She took a long once over of her brother, and he looked amazing. He had his wild hair a little shorter for his new role and he looked content. But there was still something missing in his eyes and smile that she hoped would someday return.

"So, what have you decided to do about the house in LA?" He had been debating on selling it before he left and figured he had two months to make a decision.

"I am leaning towards selling. I have been thinking about getting a small condo in LA and buying something here in the city. I think I may want to spend more time back here and I would like to have my own place," Elizabeth and Jack had a two bedroom apartment here because Elizabeth travelled back to NYC often and her publisher and agent were based there.

"That sounds like a great plan! You going to look right away?"

"Yes, I was thinking of staying here a few weeks before heading back. Is that okay? I don't want to intrude on you and Jack."

"We are going back on Tuesday, so you are more than welcome to stay there while you look around," the traffic was finally moving. It was seven o'clock on a Thursday evening and she had not expected this much traffic.

On the way into the city, they talked about her new book and his new movie. He had been sent some new scripts to look over to decide on his next role, but he was not in a hurry. His and Bella's movie would be released in December in time for Christmas, so he would be busy with promoting it, then it was awards season, and then his new movie that he just filmed would be due to premiere. Right now, he wanted some much needed relaxation.

As they pulled up to her building in Battery Park, Edward felt the excitement of being back in the city. He loved it here. As the doorman helped him with his bags, Elizabeth gave the valet her keys to park the car in the garage. They walked in the building with his arm draped over her shoulders and they stepped on the elevator.

Elizabeth and Jack had an apartment on the twenty-first floor and from their living room window, you could see the Statue of Liberty. It was a great place and they obtained through a rebuilding grant after 9-11. When they entered the apartment, Jack was watching TV on his massive flat screen, the Yankees were playing, and the lights in the distance were twinkling outside. When he heard the door, Jack came walking over to them to help with the bags.

"Edward! Glad to have you back," the two shook hands. "How about a beer? I just ordered a pizza about twenty minutes ago."

"A beer sounds great and pizza sounds even better, I am starving!" Edward took his bags from Jack to put them in the guest room and toed off his shoes and pulled off his hoodie. He breathed in a sigh of relief, he felt so happy to be back in the States and with his family. He enjoyed his time in London; it was a closed set with heavy security. His hotel was great and they went to great lengths to ensure the privacy of the actors. Everything was going smoothly until Bella decided to visit.

Edward had told her several times not to come to London. He specifically asked her for time and she was unwilling to respect that. When he first arrived in London, he was so busy that he had no time to think about things, and he liked it that way. After settling in, he started to give everything a lot of thought during his free time. Bella had been texting him and sending emails, and his replies were short. Everywhere he turned the affair was still news and he constantly felt as though people looked at him with pity. He hated it.

The tabloids had been the worst. Every week for the first month, his face was plastered on the cover. Edward kept to himself and laid low. He had a few friends that he hung out with in London and they were always looking out for him. He was always one step ahead of the publications, and he was beginning to piss them off. They only pictures they were getting of him were from his premiere and any press he did to promote his last film. At one point he heard that one of the tabloids had offered $75,000 for his first public shot after the scandal.

When he was in London, Edward was online frequently and Alice snuck out and bought some of the magazines. The speculation was so out there, it boarded on humorous some days. They claimed to have their 'sources' that were close to Edward and Bella, but no names were ever mentioned and none of what they reported was fact. Rosalie tried to talk Edward into making some kind of statement about their relationship to get them off his back, but he refused. So, they had him being an alcoholic, gay, dead (he loved that one), parting every night, sleeping with women, sleeping with men and woman at the same time, and the list went on and on.

The only person who loved the media attention was James Jackson who was not hiding from the spotlight, but embracing the new attention he was generating. James was not that great of an actor, he mainly got along by his looks, so this was something he had been craving. There were a few moments that Edward actually thought that James may have set Bella up, that he knew those pictures were going to be taken.

Edward's decision to end their relationship began the night Bella showed up outside his hotel. Of course, the paparazzi had followed her and they were not far away with their cameras. He walked past her and she followed him into the lobby. She knew he was pissed. Edward pulled her into a vacant conference room and told her to leave and if she didn't the nice security guard would. In that moment, when she cried and was holding onto him, he wanted it to be over. He no longer felt the deep pull in his chest when he saw her pain, he was mad at her for putting him in the spotlight the way he now was and when she showed up, he was still not ready to deal with her face to face, he felt as though she only cared about herself and not him.

He loved her, he always would, but he was not sure he would be able to get past her deceit. It would be hard to trust anyone again, but he hoped someday he might. She was his great love and he was scared to never feel that way again. To feel the high off of just being near another person. He called her three days later and said it was completely over, for the first time since being at the lake house, he cried. He was unsure of his decision and questioned it, but he needed to be away from her to start over. His life was now defined by her indiscretion, and he needed to distance himself from her so he could have what was left of his life back.

By that time, the usual gossip rags had published the few pictures that the paparazzi had taken in London of the two. The headlines were reading that they were secretly back together, of course they would spin in that way. One of them caught Bella leaving the hotel in tears and the article claimed that she was pregnant and had just told me she did not know who the father was. After a two hour painful phone call, they both agreed that they would see each other again when the studio met with them in November, but until then he needed space from her.

The studio was another problem. When Edward spoke with them on a conference call in London, he was told that he and Bella needed to make-up because that is what the public expected. True to his word, Jasper set them straight, reminding them of Edward's contract. That they would walk the red carpet together and meet their other obligations pertaining to the film, but in no way did their contracts state that they had to be in an off-screen relationship. They were not willing to release either of them out of their contract for additional films until the premiere of their film. That meant one thing, if it did well and they were still in demand together by the public, he would have no choice but to be in more films with her.

As Edward walked back into the living room, he heard the front desk buzz indicating the pizza had arrived. He helped Elizabeth with the plates and grabbed his beer before sitting at the table. "So, Edward, anything new?" His sister was so subtle.

"Whatever do you mean?" he loved playing this game with her.

She rolled her eyes at him as Jack walked to the table with the pizza. "You want me to come right out and ask?" He smiled at her as he plated his food. "Okay, fine. Have you talked to Bella? I know she came to London a few weeks ago, what happened?"

"After she showed up in London, I told her it was over." Elizabeth watched Edward's face as he told her this. For a brief moment she thought she saw regret over this decision. "She of course spun it that because I could not forgive her, that I never really loved her to begin with."

Elizabeth slammed her glass to the table. "Seriously, she really pulled that card on you?" he nodded, "How do you feel about everything?"

"Relieved, sad, scared. I don't know if I could ever trust her again. I had to make a decision and more than ever, I know it was the right one." Elizabeth had a feeling that he didn't entirely believe himself, but she swore she would stand by him in whatever decision he made, so she would.

Elizabeth looked at her brother and realized how much he had matured with what happened. She also knew that how hard it was going to be for him to ever trust again and she prayed that he would. He was much too loving and caring to spend his life alone. He loved acting, but his dream was having a family of his own.

They finished eating and catching up before Edward announced that the jet lag was kicking in and he wanted to get a good night's sleep. Elizabeth informed him that Jasper and Alice would be in late tomorrow afternoon and that they were going out to dinner and that for him to leave his suit for her to send to be cleaned and pressed for Saturday night. As he went to sleep that night, he felt as though a new chapter in his life was beginning.

Elizabeth let Edward sleep late the next day, until one o'clock in the afternoon. When he woke up the apartment was quiet and he jumped in the shower loving the pressure of the stream. The showers in London were much too soft. He threw on jeans, a sweatshirt, baseball hat, and his Converse and grabbed the keys that Jack left him on the table. He wanted to go for a walk and take in some air, maybe go to the Seaport. He nodded to the doorman and slipped on his sunglasses. He was not afraid to walk around the city; the paparazzi here were less aggressive. The most they would do is take his picture and he would ignore any questions.

It felt great to walk around and he did so for over an hour stopping at Starbucks along the way. He was focused on his thoughts and was oblivious to anyone around him, it was an attitude he adopted from a young age living here. A few people stopped and took pictures and pointed, but it was a nice paparazzi-free day.

As he walked into the apartment, he saw that Jasper and Alice had arrived. Alice came over and hugged him and Jasper shook his hand. Alice was beaming with excitement to show Edward her engagement ring. As he held her hand up to his face to look at the large stone, Alice felt guilty and pulled back. Edward sensed her feelings immediately. He pulled her to him and whispered in her ear, "Don't feel that way. You deserve this and I am beyond happy for you," he kissed her head before letting her go.

Alice nodded at him with tears in her eyes. She had spent over a month with Edward in London and they spoke every night about his feelings and what he was going to do. One particular night, he was so conflicted and she said something to him that stuck with him.

"_Edward, whatever you choose to do, we will all stand behind you. But, it has to be your decision. No one is going to think you are weak if you take her back and no one is going to think you are a bad person if you don't. Think about yourself, be selfish. Whatever decision you make, you have to live with, no one else."_

He took that to heart and for the first time, he was selfish. He thought about his pain and his future. It was hard for him, but once he put his heart first, he knew he would make the right decision.

The group decided to have dinner at the Soho Grand because Alice and Jasper still needed to check in and it was very private there. They had a great evening, and the one person who was missing was Emmett. He could not get away from his work, and from what Alice told him, he had met someone in LA and it was getting serious.

Around one am, Elizabeth, Jack, and Edward caught a cab back to the apartment. Tomorrow night was the book launch and Elizabeth and Alice were going to the spa all day, leaving the men on their own. Because it was supposed to rain, they were just going to hang out at the apartment all day.

Edward was so happy to be back and with his family and friends, he was almost beginning to feel normal again. He wished he could stay here in NYC, going back to LA was going to be difficult and he was not sure if he was ready to face his demons there. He knew he could not avoid things anymore. He was a grown man with responsibilities and he needed to eventually face Bella again.

* * *

**Chapter Twelve**

After watching a double header of the Yankees away game, the guys decided to peel themselves off the couch and get ready for their evening. Jasper had brought his suit along know that the girls would be getting ready for the party together. Elizabeth decided on a venue in Chinatown, her favorite NYC neighborhood, and a limo was going to be picking them up in an hour.

Edward found his suit hanging in the closet, clean and pressed. He paired his black suit with a white button down and left the top open with no tie. His auburn hair, although a bit shorter, was still as wild as ever. No matter what he did, he could not achieve the neat look that the hair and makeup people were able to create. He had became accustomed to having bed hair, or like his fans called it "sex hair", while being wide awake and upright.

Alice and Elizabeth looked amazing. Alice was wearing a red dress that flared out below her knees and Elizabeth was wearing a deep purple dress that hit right above her knees. Their day at the spa was apparent, they both looked relaxed. Jasper and Jack were dressed similar to Edward, but Jack was wearing a tie to match Elizabeth's dress.

Elizabeth was buzzing with excitement when they arrived at the venue. She had chosen MOCA, a museum in the heart of Chinatown. She had a love for this neighborhood since they were kids. As they got older and were able to discover the city on their own, she would drag Alice and Edward here every weekend. They would spend hours at the markets and small shops that lined the streets. It was fitting that she chose this area for her big book launch.

The party was in full swing when they arrived and Elizabeth was welcomed by a huge round of applause. The venue looked great and everything was covered in red and soft lighting. Her agent whisked her away for photos and book signings and the group made their way to the bar. Edward took in the whole scene and his heart swelled with pride for his sister. She was having her pictures taken and she looked so happy.

While everyone else went to mingle, he stood against the bar with his beer in hand. Tonight he was not Edward Cullens, actor, he was just Edward, Elizabeth's brother, she was the celebrity. He pushed himself away from the bar and over to the table holding Elizabeth's new book. This was the first time he was seeing it, and he felt guilty for it. He always helped out Elizabeth when she was editing, but he had been so wrapped up in Bella that he missed that part. He cracked the binding and saw his name on the first page. It was her dedication. She had mentioned him in dedications before, but this one meant so much more because of what happened these past three months.

_**I dedicate this book, my tenth, to my brother, Edward, my first editor. His strength and eloquence are an inspiration. He will forever be my reason to believe in trusting my heart.**_

More than ever, he needed those words. He placed the book back on the table, he would get her to autograph one when she was less busy. He drained his beer and walked up to the bar to have another. That is when he saw her.

She was beautiful, long dark mahogany hair cascading in curls around her shoulder and skin like porcelain. She was wearing a black dress that fell just below her knees, but not before hugging her curves in a subtle way. She was laughing with Alice and her smile caused his own to twitch at his lips. When he was able to tear his stare from her face, his eyes cascaded down her body, as he took in her slim legs and ended on the black heels she was wearing.

"Tanya Denali," Elizabeth's voice broke his thoughts.

"What?" How could she know that he was staring at her?

"Please, Edward. You have been staring at her for nearly five minutes," she rolled her eyes at him, had it really been that long? Elizabeth was thrilled to see Edward looking at this woman. Most actors would have become man whores if they had been through what Edward has. But, she knew for a fact that Edward had not as so much touched a woman, except for his co-star, in the past three months. "She is a writer, best seller."

"How do I not know the name?" He continued to watch Tanya conversing and laughing with Alice and Jasper.

"Unless you read romance novels in your spare time, you wouldn't. She is an amazing writer." She was great. Elizabeth had read all her books. Alice was her biggest fan which explained why she was talking with her and had a huge grin plastered on her face.

"Contrary to what you might think, I was not staring at her," again with her eye rolling. "What? I noticed her, but you make it sound like I am some kind of voyeur."

"You are a single guy, she is attractive. It is not a crime to notice someone." He knew she was right, but the last thing he wanted to do was date someone. He may have been putting up a brave front, but he still was mourning his relationship with Bella.

"Hey, Edward, see something you like?" Jack walked over to hand Elizabeth another drink. His comment caused Elizabeth to burst out laughing.

"You guys both really suck, you know that?" Despite his annoyance, he had missed this banter.

Jack looked over at Tanya, he had met her a few times and she was very sweet, even a little shy. Elizabeth once told him that she hated being in the spotlight. She had been approached by studios to turn a few of her books into scripts, and she had passed on the offers.

"You know, Edward. I have met her a few times. She is really nice. No harm in meeting a new friend, right?" Jack gave Edward a sympathetic, knowing glance. Before he could respond, Alice was walking over to them with her arm linked through Tanya's. _Looks like Tanya just got herself a new best friend_, he thought.

Tanya hugged Elizabeth, "Congrats! I cannot wait to read this one. You outdo yourself every time," she turned to hug Jack, "It is great seeing you, Jack!" Edward could instantly tell by her tone that she was genuine and when she looked at him for the first time, he saw she had emerald green eyes, she was stunning.

"Thanks, Tanya! I hear you have another one coming out soon, too?" Tanya nodded, finally breaking away from Edward's stare. "Have you met my brother, Edward?"

"No, I haven't. It's nice to meet you," she offered Edward her hand and he placed it in hers. Her hand was soft and warm and he had to force himself to let go.

"Nice to meet you, too, Tanya," he replied. Edward took note of the blush that crept to her cheeks. She had noticed him across the room when she was talking to Alice and Jasper. Tanya was not one to keep up with the celebrity gossip scene, she has steered clear of it for nearly a decade, but you had to be dead not to know what happened between Edward Cullens and Bella Swan. She had asked Elizabeth about it when she met her for lunch nearly two months ago and asked how he was doing. Elizabeth and Edward were super close and Tanya could tell that the entire ordeal hurt her just as much.

It felt surreal to her for him to be standing right in front of her. She almost felt like a giddy fan with the blush and shyness setting in. He was handsome, more so in person. His auburn hair looked as though he ran his hands through it for hours and he had blue eyes with specks of green that were memorizing. His strong jaw was covered with a five o'clock shadow that toned down his boyish looks. His eyes met hers again and he pulled his bottom lip between his teeth causing her blush to deepen.

"Elizabeth tells me you were just filming in London. Are you glad to be back home? "Right_ now I am ecstatic to be back, _he thought. What was wrong with him?

"Yes, very. Elizabeth missed me entirely too much, she was bored without me," Elizabeth smacked him on the arm. "Oh, I kind of missed her, too." Elizabeth put her arm through her brother's and kissed his cheek.

The group continued to talk about Elizabeth's new book, but the stolen glances between Tanya and Edward did not go unnoticed by Elizabeth and Alice. After about twenty minutes, Edward noticed Elizabeth nod her head to Alice, their secret girl signal, and then they each grabbed their significant other while Alice mumbled an excuse that they needed to see an exhibit the museum had on the second floor. Edward knew exactly what they were up to; they pulled this on him countless times as teenagers. He thought they outgrew it, but apparently not.

Edward noticed that Tanya had finished her glass of wine once they were alone, "Need a refill? I was going to head up to the bar?"

"Sure, but only if we find a place to sit, these heels are awful," he laughed at her honesty. Together they walked to the bar and looked through the crowd to find a table. Along the back of the room, Edward spotted a small table with two chairs and took her drink and led the way.

They sat at the table and laughed as Tanya let out a relieved sigh. "It is great that you came here to support Elizabeth," her voice dropped to a whisper.

"Only fair, she has been there for me more times than I can count. This is nothing compared to what she has done for me," Edward honestly meant that, not only about her, but Alice as well.

"Must be nice to have a sibling, I was an only child, so I never had that," she had a sadness about her that drew him to her and a shyness that made her even more beautiful.

She listened attentively to Edward talking about growing up with a twin and some of the antics that transpired between the two, often weaving Alice into the stories as well. He was outgoing and lacked the arrogance she had seen in other celebrities. She could see the public's fascination with him, because he was so different.

After an hour of chatting, Tanya and Edward felt as though they had known each other for years and were fast becoming friends. The time was approaching for Elizabeth's speech and Edward was asked to pose for some pictures with her.

He stood to excuse himself and Tanya stood with him, "I have to get going, I need to get up early for breakfast with my agent. It was really nice talking to you, Edward." He found himself panicking wondering if he would ever talk to her again.

He had to react quickly before she left, "I am going to be in the city for a few weeks, maybe we can meet for lunch one day?" She looked surprised at his offer, but not surprised as he was with himself for asking her.

Tanya had to admit she was a little shocked, happy, but shocked. "Sure, I would love that." Edward breathed a sigh of relief as she entered her number into his phone. She took his hand in hers one last time, "I will talk to you soon." He nodded as Elizabeth called for him and he watched Tanya weave through the crowd to the front entrance.

"Did we have a nice time, Eddie?" Elizabeth was such a smartass.

"Yes, she is very nice to talk to. Stop looking at me that way. I am taking Jack's advice, I could always use a new friend," she was shaking her head at him with a smirk on her face. He bumped his hip into hers as they walked over to the photographer.

The evening has been a success and they piled back into the limo around midnight. Too pumped up, they decided to go back to Elizabeth and Jack's for drinks. Elizabeth and Alice were seated facing him in the limo with shit ass smirks on their faces. He shook his head knowing full well what they were thinking. He was not in the mood to deal with them and their questions. Jasper must have sensed their motives, too, because he shook his head at the two of them shooting them each a warning glance.

Once in the apartment, the guys removed their jackets and the girls kicked off their shoes and excused themselves so they could change their clothes. Edward thought he was out of the woods, but no such lunch.

"So," Jasper spoke first, "what was that all about with Tanya Stoan?" He sat on the couch kicking his feet up on the ottoman.

"Look, I really cannot deal with these questions. So, I am going to say it once and that is it," the girls walked back into the living room in yoga pants and sweaters. "Good, now you are all here for this," he looked at Alice and Elizabeth who both still had those smirks on their face. "I am not ready for another relationship, nor do I want one. What I do want is to be able to be friends with an attractive woman without all the bullshit from you. You are acting worse than the damn paparazzi." They all looked to one another daring someone to speak first. Alice decided to be the braved one.

"We are sorry, Edward. It was just nice to see you really smiling and happy tonight. Pissing you off was not our intention. I think it is great that you met someone like Tanya. She seems like she would be a great friend for you to have." Elizabeth nodded her head in agreement.

"She's right," Elizabeth added, "it was really nice seeing you enjoying yourself. Tanya is a sweetheart and is definitely someone you could trust. Besides, she hates the celebrity life, so I am sure she just wants to be friends, too."

The subject was changed, thankfully by Jack, and they continued to enjoy the rest of the evening finishing a bottle of wine and talking about Jasper and Alice's wedding plans for next year. It was late, so Edward told them to take his room and he would take the couch.

As he settled in for the night staring out at the lights in the distance, he slowly drifted off to sleep, but instead of the brown eyes that had haunted his dreams, they were replaced with green eyes filled him with hope.

* * *

**Chapter Thirteen**

Edward woke up to banging in the kitchen; he forgot that sleeping on the couch meant he would be up at the crack of dawn by Elizabeth making breakfast. He stretched his long body out on the couch and rubbed the remaining sleep out of his eyes. Yawning loudly, he sat up and ran his hands through his hair. Elizabeth, hearing her brother poked her head out of the kitchen.

"Morning, Eddie!" Elizabeth and Alice both knew how much he hated the nickname they used on him. It was insane that she was so damn happy at eight o'clock on a Sunday morning. "I am making pancakes while everyone is getting ready." He stood and stretched and walked into the kitchen.

"Would it kill you to sleep in?" He sat at the breakfast bar as she slipped him a cup of coffee.

"As a matter of fact, yes it would! I am in a great mood after last night, I would say that it was a very successful book launch," she winked at him before turning back to the stove, catching the double meaning in her comment.

"Yes, it was. By the way, I wanted to thank you for the dedication. It really means a lot to me."

She walked over to him, "I meant it, and you are inspiring. I am very proud of you." She leaned over and kissed his cheek. "Oh, Jack got a call late last night from the hospital. Instead of going back on Tuesday, we are leaving this evening and going back with Jasper and Alice. So, you will have the joint to yourself. No girls and no loud parties!" She wagged her finger in his face.

"I don't think that will be a problem, mom." The door swung open and Jasper sat down on the empty stool next to him.

"So, Edward, when are you coming back to LA," he accepted the cup of coffee from Elizabeth.

"I was hoping to stay here for a few weeks. I want to check out some places to buy. Do I need to be there sooner?"

He nodded his head, "Possibly, the studio wants another meeting. Have you talked to Bella?"

"No, she texted a few times, but I have not replied. Why?" Jasper looked stressed.

"The studio knows you two broke the whole thing off, they know about Bella's trip to London and saw the pictures of you two at the hotel. They are nervous about what this means for the film. Are you going to be able to walk the red carpet with her? Do interview together? Oh, and let's not forget all of the photo shoot questions. They are on the war path and they want answers." Jasper wanted Edward to know exactly what his expectations were and wanted to know if he would be able to handle them.

"I know what is expected, I have been down this road before with Bella. Am I looking forward to it this time around, no, not really, but I am hell bent on being the professional one here. I will do what is asked of me as long as it is in my contract." Edward prided himself on being a professional. Not even two weeks after the affair news broke; he made every obligation that he had been committed to, no matter how painful it had been for him.

Elizabeth spoke up, "What if they don't let you out of the contract with the other two movies they want you to make with her? Can you be in a movie with her again?" She and Jasper looked at him for a response.

Edward had thought about this constantly but ignored any discussion on it. It was childish, but he hoped if he didn't talk about it, it would go away. As professional as he was, acting with her again was something he was not sure he could do. "No, I don't think I could. But, this is a big studio, if I go back on my contract, they will sue. I guess I can just pray that they see how difficult it is for me and Bella when we promote _Love's Past_."

Jasper still looked stressed, "See, the thing is the public is going to want to see you two in a movie together regardless if you are together or not. They want to see that tension and you still have a strong fan base that hopes you two get back together." Jasper was playing Devil's advocate. He wanted Edward to really think about all the situations that could arise. He knew Edward was avoiding Bella for a reason, and the longer he went without facing her, the harder it was going to be when he has to face the feelings he is hiding from in front of thousands of people.

"Yes, but I also have fans who despise her." He had boxes of fan mail to prove that. He read through a couple of them and he could not handle the things that were said about Bella. Although he appreciated his fans loyalty, Bella was still, and always would be, someone he loved very much.

"Still, the public is still fascinated by you two. If the studio sees that and the promotional tour for _Love's Past _goes well, they are not going to let the two of you go. You have to be prepared for it, Edward. They see you are professional and were able to rise above the affair. They saw how you handled publicity for your last film and that was less than two weeks after the scandal! At this point the only one who can screw it up is Bella and she would not do that because she still loves you!" Jasper was being stern with him, but he was trying to get Edward to understand and accept his fate with the studio. "Look, just come back to LA by the end of the week. I want to get it all worked out. The promotional tour will start the second week in December and the film will have a wide release date on Christmas Eve. You will be required at the premieres in LA and here. As always, you are not required to be at the other premieres, although it is encouraged."

Edward had always loved travelling for premieres with Bella. They were especially excited about this upcoming tour because it was over the holidays. They were hoping to spend Christmas in Europe. Now, he was going to follow his contract and exercise the right to not travel anywhere other than LA and NYC for the premieres. "Fine, I will be back on Thursday and in your office on Friday to discuss everything," his pancakes were up and he was through with this discussion for a few days. Jasper nodded and dug into his plate.

After everyone else came in to join them, the group finished breakfast and Jasper and Alice went back to the hotel and were coming back here to go to the airport with Alice and Jack. When they returned at lunchtime, Alice and Jasper had brought Chinese food for lunch and everyone relaxed for the rest of the day. Around five o'clock, the car service came to take them to the airport and Edward said his goodbyes. The apartment was quiet and Edward felt like he had died and gone to heaven. He turned on a movie and lay back on the couch and thought about calling Tanya tomorrow to have lunch with him.

He dozed off and woke up to his cell phone ringing on the floor next to the sofa. It must have fallen from his pocket when he fell asleep. He looked at the display and saw Bella's name flashing; it was six am, which meant is was three am in LA. He moaned in annoyance and hit ignore. For the first time in three months, he was surrounded by peace and quiet and was not willing to give that up this evening. He waited a few minutes until his voicemail sounded and he listened to her message.

"_Hi, Edward, it's me. I know you are in New York and I was wondering if we could talk soon. I spoke with the studio and since we will have to meet with them eventually, I figured we can get together and talk. Let me know when you are back in LA. I am sorry about London, I should not have come. God, all I seem to do is tell you I am sorry. Anyways, hope to see you soon. I miss you."_

He listened to the message several times, not deleting it. There was no crying, no begging from her in the first time in three months. He still missed her so much. There were still times that something would happen on a particular day and without thinking, he would grab for his phone and go to dial her number without thought. They were together five years, and breaking daily habits that involved her were still a struggle.

He decided to text her a message to let her know he received her message and that he would be back in LA at the end of the week and he would contact her once he got settled back in.

He stood to stretch looking over New York Harbor before going into the kitchen to make coffee. Jack had left his real estate agent's phone number on the counter for him to call. He figured it was too early to call anyone, so he took his coffee with him and hopped in the shower.

Forgoing shaving, he pulled on jeans and a black t-shirt before deciding to take a quick walk and get a paper. He pulled on shoes, his leather jacket, and a baseball hat before heading out. It was nearly seven am, and he completely forgot it was a Monday until he walked outside and was hit with the wall of people on the sidewalks heading to the financial district for work.

_Perfect. So much for a quiet morning walk, _he thought. He headed over to the newsstand and that's when he saw it, his arch enemy _Celebrity Weekly_. Although he was no longer their big cover story, over the past couple months, they had reserved the right hand corner of the cover entirely to him. They did not disappoint, this one had the grainy picture of him and Bella in London. _Must be a really slow news week for them to be using a stock picture from three weeks ago, _he shook his head to himself and bought a few reputable magazines and a paper.

Bright spot of getting up this early on a weekday, he returned to the apartment and had not been spotted by anyone. This just added major bonus point with NYC and his decision to buy something here. He was thinking more and more about keeping a bigger place here and making NYC his main residence. He had spoken to his real estate agent in LA and was considering a beach house in Malibu. There was a very private community there and he had always wanted a place on the beach.

After eight o'clock, he called the real estate agent, Janet, and they would be meeting tomorrow morning to look at a few places. He spent the next hour watching the news. It was funny, he prayed for time off like this and he was already bored out of his mind. He was pulling his phone out of his packet to check his emails; many were from Alice about his schedule. The woman never took a day off; these were sent as soon as she must have got home last night. He was going to have to take away her Blackberry before she left for her honeymoon. She had recently brought on an intern part-time who would take-over for her during her month long honeymoon. Edward had not met him yet, yes, Alice had hired a nice, gay man to fill in for her. From what he understood, James was great and Alice loved having him around to help.

Finally, when ten o'clock came around, Edward found Tanya's phone in his contacts. His new friend had been in the back of his mind since he woke up. He chewed on his bottom lip waiting for her to answer.

"Hello?" Tanya sounded out of breath.

Edward cleared his thought, "Hi, Tanya? It's Edward," silence, that can't be good.

It took her a minute to process that he actually called her, "Hi! Sorry, I just walked in the door. How are you?"

"Good, I was wondering if you were free for lunch today." Why was he so friggin nervous?

"Sure! How does _The Landmark Diner _on Grand sound at eleven-thirty?" Of course she picked one of his favorite lunch spots.

"Sounds perfect! I will see you then!" They said their goodbyes and hung up. He took a deep breath. He could not shake this nervousness, he was so glad Elizabeth and Alice were not here to give him shit about this.

When he arrived at the diner, the lunch crowds were already starting to filter in. He heard his name and saw Tanya sitting at a booth in the back. She stood up catching his attention and he took her in. She was wearing a black sweater and skinny jeans paired with low heeled boots. Her hair was in a loose braid over her right shoulder. She looked beautiful. When he approached her, he hugged her. There was a significant height difference without the aid of heels; she had to be at least a foot shorter. He sat down and looked at her, she barely wore make-up, not that she needed it, and she looked very young. _Note to self: find out her age._

"Were you waiting long?" He looked at his watch and it was eleven-thirty on the nose.

"No, just ten minutes. I figured I would get here early to make sure we got a good seat. I live close by." She opened her menu, "So, Elizabeth go back to LA?"

He looked up from his menu, "Yep, Jack got called back early to work. She is leaving LA in a few days to head out on her book tour, so I am sure she had a lot to do before then." She nodded in understanding and looked back to her menu.

After they ordered their sandwiches, they fell into an easy conversation. It was as thought they had been friends for years. Over the course of the hour, he found out a little more about her, she was 29 (her birthday was next month) and her parent's had died when she was twenty in a car accident, leaving her extremely well off from what he gathered. They talked about everything. Tanya stayed clear from asking questions about Bella. She wanted to be his friend and she felt that when he was ready, he would say something about it.

Around two o'clock, she looked at the time on her phone. "Crap! I completely lost track of the time and I have a meeting in half an hour uptown! I am so sorry!" Despite her resistance, he paid for lunch to which she replied, "Fine, next time I pay! How about dinner tomorrow?"

They agreed that he would need a good dinner after checking out real estate all day tomorrow, and she said she would text him a place later. She apologized for having to run, thanked him for lunch, and placed a quick kiss goodbye on his cheek.

Edward watched her, again, breeze out the door.

* * *

**Chapter Fourteen**

_Kill. Me. Now. _Edward was exhausted. Janet and him had been looking at places for close to five hours and nothing was working for him. She was getting frustrated with him. Finally, she started throwing out questions left and right trying to get an idea of what he wanted. She finally told him that maybe Brooklyn would be good for him. He would have a bigger space and a yard. Bonus was that many celebrities were retreating to the Brooklyn and were pretty much left alone and their privacy was respected. He was leaving on Thursday, but she said she was going to set up a couple places to look at tomorrow.

Tanya had texted him an address to Angelo's in Little Italy for dinner tonight. He had been able to avoid the paparazzi the past few days because of his baseball hat and sunglasses, but going out to dinner, he knew that uniform would not fly. He dressed in black dress pants, a light blue button down, and threw on his black leather coat. It was drizzling outside, and he accepted the doorman's offer to wave him a cab. He arrived before Tanya and the host, who recognized him immediately, sat him in a corner booth that shielded him from the other part of the restaurant. Edward thanked him and the tip he slipped to him as the host nodded, was the silent agreement that he did not want to be bothered this evening. He gave him Tanya's name.

She arrived not five minutes later with the host leading her towards him. Her smile lighting up when he came into her sight. She was wearing a deep blue wrap dress. _Stunning, _he thought. He stood to greet her with a kiss on the cheek and she sat across from him in the booth.

After they ordered, Tanya took a sip of her wine, "So, how did house hunting go?" He groaned causing her to throw her hair back and laughs. "Okay, so I guess I have my answer!"

He told her about all the places and how he was venturing to Brooklyn tomorrow for more torture. "So, how did your meeting with your agent go yesterday?" It was her turn to groan.

"A studio in LA has been wanting to buy rights to a few of my books. I am not budging, and my agent is about ready to kill me and dispose of my body in the Hudson." They both laughed. "I would have much rather been house hunting all day, next time, let's trade."

"Can I ask why you don't want to do it?" He was curious as to why someone would give up that kind of money and accolades. He knows Elizabeth would do it in a second; in fact her dream is to see her written words play out on the big screen.

"My books are my babies, and I like them the way they are. A studio would change it too much, even if I was doing the screenplay. I guess I am being a control freak," she laughed. "Besides, I try to stay clear of the whole Hollywood thing, no offense," she looked at him and blushed.

"Hey, no offense taken, I completely understand. I would love more than anything to escape the Hollywood chaos," she nodded at him, Tanya had so much that she wanted to talk to him about. It seemed like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders. She knew that they would never be more than friends, it was a fact. She found him insanely attractive and enjoyed his company, but he still loved Bella and she had her own reasons for staying clear of a relationship.

"Edward, I know that this is probably the last thing you want to talk about, but I have to say I am sorry for everything you went through. I know I shouldn't mention it, but it's kind of like the pink elephant in the room and since we are friends, I needed to say it." She looked away from his glance; she could still see the pain in his eyes.

He cleared his throat actually surprised that he was not upset with the topic change, "Thanks, I appreciate it. I am glad you brought it up, I always feel awkward that people feel they cannot talk to me. Like they are afraid I am going to break down in front of them," he laughed at the thought. "But, you are right, it is always the pink elephant in the room."

"Are you and Bella still together?" The tabloids never said they actually split, Edward refused to answer personal questions and Bella kept a low profile, she all but vanished from the spotlight, so no one knew for sure.

He shook his head, "No, we broke up. Unfortunately, we have a movie coming out in December, so we will have to be together for that, but other than that, we are not together anymore." Tanya heard the sadness in his voice and felt deeply sorry for him.

"I am sorry, I didn't mean to upset you."

"No, I'm fine. I guess that actually saying it someone other than my family just feels odd. People have been avoiding asking me for months if we are together, except for fans and paparazzi who shout it at me every chance they get," he smiled at her. Tanya felt her heart break for her new friend. She knew what it was like to lose someone, just in a different way. She could never imagine losing someone and having the world watching.

"You still love her, don't you?" Edward looked at her. He has never said it out loud to anyone, only in his mind. Saying it made him feel week all over again and sad that he lost something he held so important in his life and sad that his future had changed so drastically.

"Yes, very much," his eyes immediately fell to the table where his fingers were shredding his cocktail napkin. Tanya reached across the table and placed her hand over his.

"Edward, there is no shame in loving her. You planned your future with her, those feeling you have for her just don't disappear even though she had an affair." She wondered if Edward and Bella have even discussed what happened. By the look on his face, she guessed the answer to that would have been no.

"It would be easier if they would disappear. They should after what happened," he felt the need to tell this woman everything, he had no idea why, but she was making him face things that he had been avoiding. "She came to London to see me. I acted horribly and sent her away without even talking to her. I guess it was my way of hurting her the way she hurt me. I followed that up with a phone call to her a few days later telling her it was over"

Tanya squeezed his hand forcing him to look up at her, "Edward, have you talked to her face to face, I mean really talked to her, since the affair came out?" Edward shook his head. "Don't you think you should? What will happen when you are forced to be with her because of the movie without the two of you talking things out?"

Tanya knew exactly what he was doing, he was avoiding her because of how much he still loved her, and it was his defense mechanism. Had he told the people close to him the things he was confiding in her? It seemed as though he was denying his feelings because he was afraid of not only getting hurt again, but he was afraid of what everyone would think about him. She wanted to open up to him in the same way; she wanted him to know that he could trust her.

"You know that I was engaged to be married once, too," he looked up at her. "His name was Jeffrey, and the day I laid eyes on him, I knew he was it," she smiled at the memory of Jeff. "We were together not even a year when he proposed. About three months before our wedding, he was killed in a car accident," Edward gasped and grabbed her hand tightly.

"I am so sorry, Tanya. I had no idea." As bad as the affair was, he could never imagine losing Bella forever and never seeing her again.

"It's okay, not many people know. It was four years ago and I never talk about it. He was everything to me and to wake up in the morning and realize that I would never sleep next to him again or talk to him every day was excruciating. There were days I never got out of bed and I closed myself off to everyone. The only thing I would do is drag my laptop to bed with me and write. A lot of my novels are pieces of Jeff, I guess that is why I am so reluctant to give them to Hollywood," she smiled sadly at Edward. "The point I want to make to you is this. If I had the chance to be with Jeff again, I would take it, regardless. I would give him a second chance regardless. I know I cannot compare our situations entirely, but if you love her, you need to know you gave it every chance."

Edward took in a deep breath, "I have thought about it, not a day goes by when I don't miss her and want to call her and say that I want to try again, but I still need time. I feel so selfish because a part of me just wants her to wait for me to be make a decision, but I can't help feeling this way," Tanya nodded.

"I agree that you need time and she does need to give it to you. But, how are you going to be able to make a decision without ever speaking to her in person?" She was right, Edward knew it. He was avoiding her in hopes it would go away or the situation would fix itself. "You need to hear her out, regardless of how painful it might be. You have to yell and scream and feel it."

He knew that Bella was suffering and it killed him. In the past three months she had cancelled engagements and dropped out of two films. She fought like hell for one of the roles and just gave it up. When he found out that news when he was in London, he wanted to call her and yell at her to stop jeopardizing the career she worked so hard for, but he didn't. Alice had been with him and sensed what he was feeling and told him that she only did it to herself. Not calling her had killed him, she was punishing herself and as much as she hurt him, he did not want her to continue.

"I cannot begin to understand how hurt you were by her cheating on you, Edward. But, I can understand losing someone you love. The difference is, Bella is still here and if you feel like you can forgive her and move forward from this, you have to try or you will regret it the rest of your life."

Edward sat in amazement over this woman. She possessed strength in her that he admired and wished he had. He was constantly being praised in the media about how professional and strong he was to move forward with his work after the affair, but in reality, he was using his work to hide from his personal life.

Looking at Tanya, he knew that it was far from over for him and Bella. Tanya was a beautiful and intelligent woman, he was attracted to her, who wouldn't be, but it was not in a way that he felt when he thought about meeting Bella for the first time. When Bella walked into his life, the entire world around him ceased to exist and the first time she touched him, he felt it through his entire body. In another time and place, Tanya would have been a wonderful woman for him, but in this life he had already given his soul to someone else.

"You know, Edward," she grinned at him, "your sister and Alice will be disappointed. I think they had other plans for us." It was as though she was reading his thoughts.

He laughed and took a sip of his beer, "I am pretty sure they did. I am glad we met, you are proving to be a wonderful friend who has been an excellent listener."

"I can say the same for you. It will cost you, though. Since I was talked into listening to the studio's offer, I will be in LA next week, and I will in need of some friendly advice after my meeting." She was genuinely nervous about the meeting and had a feeling talking to Edward about it may help her.

"Deal. After your meeting, I will take you to dinner so you can tell me everything. Besides, after my first full week in LA, I made need to bend your ear again."

They finished dinner and Tanya promised Edward she would call him when she knew when she would be arriving in LA and when her meeting would be. They said their good-bye inside before heading out separately. The host informed them that the paparazzi had heard Edward was inside, so he exited out the back door into a waiting car and Tanya left out the front.

When he arrived home, he somehow felt lighter. He knew it was because he had finally admitted to everything he had been denying and holding inside for the past three months. He had a major decision to make, he had to decide if her could ever forgive and move on with Bella. He also needed to talk to Alice and Elizabeth about how he was feeling.

He grabbed a beer and kicked back to watch some TV in the living room. He dug his phone out of his pocket to check in with Alice.

"Hello, Edward! Enjoying your time off?" He laughed knowing she was being completely sarcastic. She always jokingly complained how she never had a full day off as his assistant. The fact that he did not want a stranger managing his affairs just added double to her job.

"As a matter of fact, I am!" She chuckled in the background. "I am just checking in to see if there is anything new I need to know about."

"Nope, everything is the same. You have a studio meeting on Friday, you can meet Jasper at his office and go together, and I am waiting back on some photo shoots," he could hear her tapping the keys on her laptop, always multitasking.

"Great. Look, I need you to add another meeting on my schedule, with you," he heard the tapping stop and she was quiet.

"Everything okay?" She sounded concerned.

"Yes, well, not really. I just need to talk to you and I need you to keep it between you and me." He was scaring her. Edward never asked her to keep anything from Jasper or Elizabeth.

"Okay, officially scaring the shit out of me, Edward," she was pissed that he was acting this way and he was thousands of miles away.

"Nothing to be scared of, trust me. I will be in LA by noon on Thursday, you want to pick me up and we can do lunch?"

"Sounds good, I have your flight info. I am still going to worry until you tell me. I think I may kick your ass or throw you to the paps at the airport for making me wait like this," he laughed at the thought.

"Thanks, Alice. I love you, too. I will see you soon." After she told him she loved him, too, he said goodnight and hung up his phone. Tomorrow he was going back out with Janet and he needed his strength, so he decided to turn in.

* * *

**Chapter Fifteen**

Edward stepped off the plane in LA and was greeted by Sam, at first he was confused as to why security was there, but then he saw the wall of paparazzi waiting outside security. _Shit, how the fuck did they know _he asked himself. He seriously thought the friggin FBI should hire some of these people seeing as they had the ability to sniff people out.

Sam was at his side in no time. "Hey, Edward! Welcome home!" We both laughed as the flashes blinded us and people screamed my name.

"Thanks, Sam. Thanks for being here."

"Alice is out front, she called me about an hour ago when your pending arrival was on E! News. Someone tweeted that you were spotted at JFK! She is always a step ahead!" Sam had been his main security guy for about three years and Edward was his favorite client. Edward was the complete opposite of your stereotypical movie star; he was laid back and easygoing.

Luckily, he had only brought one bag home with him from New York with his necessities and his laptop case and left the rest behind in Elizabeth's guest room, so he was able to skip baggage claim. When they walked out of the terminal, there were even more people. Edward saw Alice's car straight ahead and Sam grabbed his bag from him and threw it in the backseat as Edward climbed in the front. Same tapped on his door and he waved goodbye.

"God, Edward! Can never make a quiet entrance can you?" She pulled away from the terminal and into traffic.

"Thanks for calling Sam. It was pretty bad in there," so much for some quiet time.

"No problem! So where to? I have been popping TUMS like M&Ms in anticipation to this meeting you want to have." Her patience was wearing thin. "I almost called Rosalie to see if she could score me some Xanax!" Edward laughed at the memory of Rosalie giving her the pills to drug him with.

"Would you mind if we just went to my house? It's really private and I don't want to risk having this conversation in public," she really looked concerned.

"Okay, stop freaking me out! You are acting so strange. And why don't you want anyone to know about it?" Alice lacked the patience for surprises. She stepped on this gas and prayed a policeman would not pull her over today.

"Geez, Alice! Slow down! If you kill us, there will be no conversation!" He held on to the door for dear life.

She made it back to his house in record time, and after fighting through the small group of people outside his house, they were able to move through the gate. When the car came to a stop, he took a long look at his home. The last time he was here, he could not even sleep in his own room. Months later, he was still finding it difficult to walk back into the house knowing Bella would not be there.

"You okay? Ready to go inside?" Alice's voice broke his thoughts.

"Yep, let's go," he opened the back door to Alice's SUV; she knew the Mustang would not be a good choice for picking up at the airport, and retrieved his bag. Edward had leased the SUV for her to use whenever she did anything related to work, especially when he was in the car with her. He did not want her car to be damaged by the paparazzi trying to get a picture. Alice was already ahead of him opening the front door.

The house looked the same, except for Emmett's things on the dining room table. He had obviously started to use that area as an office.

Alice threw her keys and bag on the kitchen counter, "So, I am not waiting any longer, let's go. What is going on with you?" He knew her abruptness came from the fact that she was scared and nervous. Three months ago she would not have acted this way, but since then, she was always worried something new would come up. He directed her out onto the back patio before retrieving a bottle of wine and two glasses from the kitchen.

When he came out to join her on the patio, her eyes widened when she saw the wine. "Shit, it's bad if you are bringing out the booze!" He laughed at her reaction to the innocent gesture and sat down next to her and looked out at the pool.

"I am sorry I worried you. I just need to talk to you about a few things, and you are honestly the first person I want to have this conversation with," she nodded for him to continue and took a sip of wine. "I have been lying to you and everyone else. I am far from over Bella. In fact, I love her and miss her terribly." Alice's mouth opened, but nothing came out, she wanted to hear him out, the fact that she was doing so made his decision to talk to her first even better. "I just need time and I felt selfish asking her to wait for me and then I thought that everyone would think I was weak for taking her back. My reaction in London was me avoiding her so I didn't have to face her yet." He paused for Alice to say something.

"Wow, okay, this is big news, but I can't say I am surprised. Edward, I told you in London that no one would think you were weak if you took her back. We would stand with you in any decision you made," she was worried when they were in London that he was making decision based on everyone else, and she was right. She had come home from London and voiced her concerns to Jasper and he agreed.

"I know, but after everything that happened, as much as I love her, I need you guys in my life. You not accepting her back would kill me."

Alice pulled her chair so she was right next to Edward and took his hand, "Edward, we love you. Would it be hard for us to trust Bella again? Yes, but if she is who you wanted to be with, we would respect your decision."

"I want to trust her again, I want to try again, but I still need to face her. I need answers from her. I don't know when or if we will be able to get back to where we once were, but I have to try." Edward placed his hand over hers, "I just want to get back to where we used to be, and I know that is impossible."

In the back of her mind, she knew that this is what was going to happen. In fact, the only person who truly believed Edward and Bella were done was Elizabeth. She had her suspicions that Jack knew, too. When Elizabeth kept going on and on about Edward and Tanya, Jack was the one that told her to stop making something happen that never stood a chance.

Alice took another sip of wine, "So, what happened in three days time that brought this to light for you?"

"Tanya," he replied.

"Wow! Okay, explain!" Apparently, Edward had been up to a lot in NYC alone for a few days.

Edward told Alice about the time he had spent with Tanya in NYC. He confided in Alice about what Tanya told him about her late fiancé and how she was the first person who challenged him to admit the truth. Alice was happy that Edward found a new friendship with Tanya, and maybe he really did need someone outside of their tight knit group to help him face reality.

"So, when are you going to talk to Bella?"

"Soon. I told her when I got back to LA I would call her," Alice nodded. "Look, it's not like I am going to call her tomorrow and say 'we are back together, move back in with me', I am far from that, Alice. I still need time. I know now that in order for that time to be effective, I need to slowly start letting her back in my life and we need to talk about what happened." Edward knew that this was going to be a long road. He had to prepare himself for the fact that it may not work out and that there was no chance left for him and Bella. But, Tanya was right, he had to try or he would always wonder for the rest of his life.

"I get it. What do you need from me? "Edward smiled at her. "What? Look, I am not an idiot, Edward. I could tell it wasn't over, we all could. And although Elizabeth is in denial, she knows it deep down, too."

"Well, I am going to need help with figuring out how to meet with Bella and talk without the paparazzi getting wind of it. Have any ideas?" He watched Alice twist her lips in thought. That was going to be difficult. She knew that most tabloids still had people assigned to keep an eye out for Edward and Bella and keep tabs on their whereabouts and actions. Bella had managed to outsmart the media and everyone else as to where she was.

"Let me think about. I mean, you could always talk at my place. I am hardly there anymore, I am at Jasper's most of the time," Alice lived in a small bungalow in a very quiet neighborhood. She had never had any issues with the paparazzi. She is sure they probably followed her from time to time, but they had to bore of her easily. She spent most days inside on the phone or running meaningless, everyday errands.

Edward thought about the idea, it was a good one, but he hated the idea of the paparazzi staking themselves outside Alice's like they have his at all hours of the day and night. "It sounds like a strong possibility. You do know that this cannot get out, right? They will be on to us and you will have to deal with them at your house."

"So, they stake themselves outside my house then? Who cares? Again, I am hardly ever there and I plan on moving in with Jasper permanently soon. All you need is one time to meet there, and then you can figure something else out. Don't forget, you will be travelling together is a few months and you will be able to spend some time together then." He was thankful for Alice. He was thankful that she had taken this new development, accepted it, and moved forward even if she did have apprehensions. This was why he wanted to talk to her and why he trusted her to not only be his friend but work with him professionally, too.

"Thanks, Alice," he leaned over and kissed her on the cheek before grabbing his glass of wine. "So, anything new otherwise?"

"Nope, only your meeting tomorrow with the studio," she stood to walk back into the house, "I am going to hunt down some food. I believe I was promised a lunch," Edward laughed and stood up to walk in with her.

"I don't know how much food I have considering Emmett has been living here. I can guarantee he has been doing take out every night." He pulled open the door to his fridge noticing it was filled. "Looks like someone went shopping. Did you have anything to do with this?" He cocked an eyebrow at Alice.

"Nope, I have a feeling that Julia had something to do with it," Edward looked at her quizzically. "She is Emmett's new girlfriend. Total sweetheart, she works for the company he is doing business with." Edward smiled.

"Well, good for him and good for me if she has anything to do with all this food!" They surveyed the contents of the fridge and decided on salads and sandwiches. When they were done, they took their lunches back out to the patio.

They spent the next few hours talking and enjoying the warm California sun, before Alice announced she was going to go home and let Edward get settled in.

When they got to his front door, Alice tuned and hugged Edward, "Thank you for trusting me. I want nothing more than for you to be happy, and if that means working things out with Bella, then I will stand beside you," she pulled back and looked at him. "That said, know that there will be some people who will have opinions on your relationship, but as you know, that will always be no matter what. So, just promise me you will stay true to yourself."

"I will, I promise," he kissed her cheek as she skipped down the front stairs to her car. After he waved goodbye, he went back to into his house. It was still early in the afternoon, so he knew he would not see Emmett for a few more hours. He took his bag up to his bedroom. When he opened the door, everything was the same, except Bella's things were noticeably missing. After using the bathroom and toeing off his shoes, he laid down on his bed.

He closed his eyes and allowed himself to remember the last time Bella and him made love in this bed. It was the night before he received the pictures, and they had just returned from a wonderful dinner at their favorite restaurant. He could still feel the pull of her hand leading him up the stairs when they returned home that evening.

_When they walked into the room, he pulled her towards him and kissed her deeply. She wove her fingers through his hair and he sighed knowing this was the only woman he would be with for the rest of his life. He slid his hands down her sides before he gripped her bottom and lifted her up as she wrapped her legs around his waist. _

_He walked her over to the edge of the bed, and sat down with her in his lap. Her hands left his hair to lift his shirt over his head as he did the same to her, breaking their kiss only briefly. She pulled away from him to stand up and remove her skirt and she teased him by slowly removing her bra and panties. _

_As many times as they made love, he always felt as though it was the first time. His arousal was evident when she approached him and pushed him onto his back. She continued teasing as she took his shoes, socks, pants, and finally, his boxers down. _

_He could not wait any longer; he gently pulled her by the wrist on top of him and effectively rolled her over so he was on top. Kissing her deeply, he slowly broke away from her and trailed his lips down her body. _

_She pulled on his hair, "Edward, I love you. I need you inside me now," he felt her foot trail up his thigh._

_He was kissing her thigh, slowly dragging his tongue to where he needed to be. He could feel the trembling of her legs as he trailed his tongue up her slit while spreading her apart with his fingers._

"_God, Edward!" He smiled before easing one finger, then two fingers into her and using his tongue on the small bundle of nerves. He stroked her thigh with his other hand to soothe as she tugged on his hair. The only sound heard through the room was her deep breathing. _

_He knew she was close, he could feel her tightening around his fingers. He continued to lick her move his fingers in and out of her before pushing them deep inside her and curling them to the spot he knew would make her cum._

"_GOD, EDWARD!" Her walls were pulsating around his fingers, never removing them until she came down from her orgasm._

_When he finally pulled his fingers out of her, he kissed her one last time before she pulled him gently by his hair up her body. She kissed him deeply as he was positioned at her entrance. _

_He pulled back from their kiss to look into her eyes, "I love you," he said, as he pushed himself into her never breaking eye contact. They fit together perfectly and they moved in unison knowing exactly what the other wanted. _

_He could feel her approaching another orgasm and he pulled her leg up to push deeper into her. He could feel her walls beginning to tighten as she reached around to his ass and pulled him as deep as he could go. She was saying his name over and over and with one last thrust, she came around him with him not far behind. _

_Exhausted, he collapsed on top of her, trying to use his elbows to keep his weight from crushing her. He rested his head on her chest as she ran her fingers through his hair, down his jaw, and across his lips. She could feel the content smile on his face. "I love you," he sighed as he drifted off to sleep._

Edward had not allowed himself to think about that night or making love to Bella since the day he left her. He felt sick when he thought about someone else being with Bella intimately. It was the first time he had allowed himself to play an intimate memory back in his head in three months, and he felt a deep ache in his chest. This was the reason he blocked out certain things and avoided them at all costs. Now thinking of his memories were helping him heel and move forward again.

He pushed his body up and sat on the edge of the bed. He stood to find his bag and he pulled out his cell phone. Walking back over the bed, he sat holding his phone feeling very nervous and conflicted. He wanted to see her, so much, but he was still so guarded. _Maybe just a few more days, after I talk to the studio, I can do this _he thought to himself.

He pulled up his text messages, and decided to send her a simple message.

_**Bella, I am back in LA. I need to see you, soon. I will call you in a few days. Need to settle in and take care of a few things. Love, E**_

Not even a minute later, his phone rang. He looked down at the display and smiled.

"Hi, Tanya," she laughed at his greeting.

"Hey, yourself! How does it feel to be back in LA? Good to be home?"

"Feels good," she could hear apprehension in his voice.

"What's wrong?"

"Just memories," he whispered.

Tanya understood what he meant more than anyone, "I am sorry. Have you talked to her yet?"

"Just sent her a message. I did talk to Alice about what I was going to do, and she is being more than supportive about it."

"I knew she would be, Elizabeth will be too, you'll see," Edward hoped she was right. "So, I will be in LA next week for a few days. I am coming in late Monday night and I have a meeting with the studio Tuesday, so I am going to be cashing in on that dinner and talk," she was still nervous about the meeting. The only thing keeping her from cancelling was the fact that she could talk to Edward about it after.

"Absolutely. Just call me after your meeting. Where will you be staying?"

"The studio is putting me up at The Beverly Hilton. Do you just want to meet me at the restaurant there?" The Beverly Hilton was very old Hollywood and it did not allow paparazzi hanging around, so it was a pretty private place to hang out. The last thing he wanted was to ask her over here for the paparazzi to have a field day. He respected the fact that she did not like to be in the public eye in that way.

"That sounds great! I will talk to you on Tuesday after your meeting then." He was looking forward to seeing his new friend already.

"Great! If you need anything before then, or you need to talk, call me." They said their goodbyes and he disconnected the call. He went downstairs to wait for Emmett to come home so they could catch up. Being back home was proving to be exhausting and he just wanted to relax before his meeting with the studio tomorrow.

* * *

**Chapter Sixteen**

Friday morning Edward woke up to get ready to meet Jasper at his office. He was nervous about the meeting with the studio. After he showered and got dressed in a pair of dark jeans and light blue button down, he went downstairs to the kitchen. Emmett was already up and ready for his workday in a tailored black suit.

"Well, good morning, cuz! Was it nice to be home in your own bed?" Emmett placed his cereal bowl in the sink.

"Yes, it was." He reached into the cabinet and grabbed his travel mug to fill with coffee.

Emmett was eyeing Edward up. His cousin might have been a good actor on the screen, but he sucked at it in his personal life. He noticed last night when he came home that although Edward looked a lot better than he did three months ago, he was still distant. He called Alice about it and she just told him that Edward was fine and not to worry.

"Nervous about the studio meeting?" Edward nodded.

"More than you know, I hate these things. At least Jasper is going with me," he poured cream and sugar into his mug.

"Well, good luck! I have a late meeting and I will probably stay at Julia's tonight," Emmett actually blushed.

"Hmmm, Julia, huh?" He elbowed Emmett. "So, when am I going to meet her? I hear that it is pretty serious."

"Like I am going to introduce her to my rich, good looking actor cousin? Right!" Edward laughed.

"Seriously, I would love to meet her soon. Maybe dinner this weekend?" Edward threw on his dark blue Converse and grabbed his keys and sunglasses.

"I will ask her and let you know," Emmett grabbed his briefcase and began stuffing papers into it.

"Cool, then I will talk to you later!" Edward went out the kitchen door into the garage and climbed into his red F150 and backed out of the garage. He had wanted to take his BMW out, but the truck was better at getting through the crowd outside his gate.

He pushed the button on his visor to open the gate and was greeted by the usual paparazzi. In the past he would have waved to them or gave them something, but not anymore, he was so bitter towards them he refused to engage with them. He inched his way through the crowd and into the street. He really wished another scandal would hit so they would become obsessed with someone else.

When he pulled into the secure parking deck at Jasper's office, he walked into the building and took the elevator to the twelfth floor. When he got off the elevator, the receptionist perked up when she saw him.

"Hi, Mr. Cullen! How have you been?" She was much too enthusiastic for it being eight in the morning.

"I am good, Jennifer," she looked please that I remembered her name, "I am here to see Mr. Whitlock."

"He said to go right in," he smiled and thanked her before walking down the long corridor to Jasper's office.

He saw Jasper organizing some papers and knocked on the doorframe. "Hey, Edward! Come in, I am just finishing some things up and we can head out."

Edward sat in a chair across from him while he proceeded to get ready. They talked briefly about the meeting. It was going to be the same as the last time. They were meeting with Aro Tayler, President of the studio and a few of his people, most definitely to discuss what their expectations were from him in a few months.

Thirty minutes later they pulled into the studio lot in Jasper's black Mercedes and were escorted to Aro's conference room where he was waiting from them.

He stood as Edward and Jasper walked into the room, Aro was a small man, barely five foot five, with a receding hairline and thin frame and always wearing a three piece suit. He looked harmless, but no one in Hollywood screwed with his studio, what he lacked in size he made up for with power. He had a lot of money and a lot of connections, piss him off, you may never work in Hollywood again. "Edward! It is great to see you! You look wonderful!" He shook Edward's hand before greeting Jasper. "Sit, we have some things to discuss and I know you probably have other things planned for the day seeing you have just returned home."

Edward looked around and found it strange that Aro was alone, he looked over at Jasper and he looked confused as well. "Is it just us today?" Jasper asked.

"Yes. I wanted to discuss a few things that recently came up and I wanted it to be a little more private." This was worrying Edward, he hated being blind sighted. "Shall we begin?" Edward and Jasper both nodded.

"Well, first things first, let's talk about _Love's Past._ This has got to be the most talked about film coming out this year. The press surrounding your personal life has just increased the buzz. I need my two leads to be able to promote this film with no issues." Jasper interrupted.

"I thought we went through this already, Edward has no intention of backing out of any of his contractual agreements with you. He has proven his professionalism to be quite superior in the past three months."

Aro nodded his head in agreement, "I agree. It's just new developments have me concerned."

Edward looked at him, "What new developments?"

"Well, Bella and her agent paid me a visit a few days," Edward was confused and Jasper looked pissed. "She informed me that she is retiring after the premiere of _Love's Past_," Edward sucked in a deep breath and fell back against his chair. "You didn't know?" Edward shook his head.

"What about the other two films she and Edward are obligated to do?" Jasper looked over a Edward who was pale and very quiet; he moved forward in his chair and was sitting with his elbows on the table looking down in front of him. Jasper could see he was breathing deeply trying to control his emotions.

Aro leaned back in his chair, "Well, she said she would pay out any penalties for breaking the contract. She also asked if she and Edward could walk the red carpet separately and do separate interviews, if possible." This conversation was proving to be difficult for Aro; he thought that Edward may have known about this already, both he and Jasper looked at Edward. Jasper became concerned, Edward was not taking this well, for a brief moment he saw a glimpse of the Edward he saw that first day after he found out Bella cheated on him.

Jasper leaned towards Edward and whispered, "Edward, are you okay?" He was rewarded with a small nod.

Edward licked his lips and looked at Aro, "What did you tell her when she asked you these things?"

"I told her that I would be willing to let her out of her contract if she at least did the red carpet and interviews with you. I am not an evil person, Edward. I can see that this has been traumatic for the both of you. Am I pissed that my golden couple is no longer that? Yes, but I am also concerned that if it has gotten this bad between you, it would affect my studio and future films. Therefore, I will release her with the understanding that I still want you to complete two additional movies for the studio. However, I would prefer if both of you walked the red carpet and attended interviews together." Edward still sat saying nothing. All he had been thinking about is their second chance, a chance that she apparently does not want anymore.

Jasper cleared his throat, "Well, that is generous of you, Aro."

Before Aro could reply, Edward spoke up, "What did she finally say about the red carpet and interviews? Did she agree to it?"

Aro nodded his head, "If you agree to it, then she said she would. Are you good with that?" Edward nodded. "Great! Well, if you gentlemen don't mind, I have another meeting on the lot. I will be in touch with you about any potential movies. Other than that, I will see you when we have a meeting about the premiere and promotional tour."

They stood and shook his hand before he left. Edward sank back down in the chair. "Edward, you okay?" He nodded at Jasper. "Want to go grab something to eat?" Edward shook his head and stood up.

"No thanks, rain check?" Jasper nodded. They walked to the car and drove back to Edward's truck in silence. Jasper dropped Edward by his truck.

"Edward, you sure you will be okay?" he was concerned, Edward was being too quiet.

"Yeah, I am just going to do some stuff at home. I will call you later," he got into his truck with a small wave behind him. Jasper knew this was not good; he pulled into his spot and called Alice to fill her in.

When Edward got home, he sat in silence in his living room. He felt as though he had been punched in the gut. He messed up, he waited too long and now she was gone for good. I guess it is true that you can only push a person away so many times before they stop trying, she must have hit that point. He found it odd when she did not answer his text message from yesterday, but he thought it was nothing. He did not even know where she was at. When they first split up, she lived with her mom for awhile but he did not know where she was now.

Alice had called him twice, but he did not feel like talking. He was sure Jasper filled her in on everything. He sent her a quick text message that he was okay and that he would call her later. There was only one person he needed to speak to, and he feared it might be too late.

Finding her name on his cell, he waited for her to pick-up, instead it went to voicemail.

"Hi, Bella. It's me. I just had a meeting with DonTanyan. I need to talk to you, soon. Please call me." He disconnected the call and stared at the screen as it faded to black. He sat back on the couch nervously running his fingers through his hair and staring at the ceiling.

He doesn't know exactly how long he had been sitting in the same spot, but he could tell by the way the sun was shining into the house, it was hours. He remembered that Emmett was not going to be home tonight, so he was on his own. As he stood go to the kitchen for something to eat, he heard a car pull up the driveway. He looked out his front window to see Alice walking up the front steps with a pizza box in her hand. He opened the door before she could knock.

"Hey, you never called me back and I thought you might be hungry or you would want to talk about today." She walked past him and into the kitchen as Edward followed behind her.

"Thanks," she reached in the fridge and pulled out two beers and handed him one.

"So, Jasper told me about the meeting. How are you feeling about it?" She handed him a plate with pizza.

"I have mixed feeling about it right now," they walked back to the living room and sat on the couch. "I feel rejected again, if that makes sense," she nodded, "and I am worried about her. She has not answered my last two messages."

Alice could not believe what Jasper had told her about Bella wanting to retire. She agreed with Jasper that Bella is punishing herself and has given up on her and Edward getting back together. But to retire at such a young age? It was crazy.

"You need to talk to her, Edward," she watched him pick at his pizza.

"I am trying, Alice. But I don't even know where she is." He tossed his plate on the coffee table and reached for his beer.

"Have you tried her mom?" He shook his head. "Why not? You were so close to her, she would probably love to hear from you anyways."

"I have not talked to her in over three months, I feel a little odd calling her."

Alice placed her plate next to Edward's. "I guess I can do some snooping and see where she might be. It's not going to be easy. She has managed to stay pretty secluded in the past few months, but someone has to know where she is at."

"Thanks, Alice. I would really appreciate it." They finally finished the pizza and Alice promised she would work on finding out where Bella was before she said goodnight. She had been worried sick about him all day, but she wanted to give him some space before she came over. She was happy to see that although he was upset, he was okay.

After she left, Edward called it a night and went to bed. He dreamed of Bella the entire night, never waking up until the morning.

* * *

**Chapter Seventeen**

The first weekend back in LA flew by for Edward. On Saturday he finally met Julia. She was also a lawyer, tall, blonde, and perfect for Emmett. On Sunday, he met with his trainer to start getting back into shape and then spent the evening with Jack. By Monday, he was bored and had too much time on his hands with his thoughts and memories. He was looking forward to Tanya's visit and was excited to hear about her studio offer.

He drove over to Alice's on Monday afternoon to go over a few things. Alice had some photo shoots lined up and they had to go over the schedule and she also wanted Edward to meet James, the new part-time assistant, since he worked out of Alice's home office.

By Monday evening, he was about to lose his mind. He decided to watch some movies and turn in early. Around ten o'clock, as he turned off the TV, his phone pinged that he had a text message.

_**I am settled in my awesome hotel room. I wanted to let you know I was here! I didn't want to call in case you were asleep. Wish me luck tomorrow! See you for dinner. Text you with a time! Tanya**_

He smiled and texted her back immediately.

_**Welcome to LA! You just caught me before I turned in. Good luck tomorrow! I cannot wait to hear all about it! See you tomorrow! Edward**_

He was excited to see his new friend. She not only brought with her a new perspective, but she was a great listener and made him laugh. She also did not look at him with pity like others did. He went to bed that night actually looking forward to the next day.

It was four in the afternoon when Edward received Tanya's text message the next day. He really bored out of his mind. He had spent the day cleaning out his email box and he needed some human interaction.

_**Okay. I am done. I don't know how you deal with these people for a living! I am heading back to the hotel. Meet me in the lobby bar in about an hour and we can have dinner at Circa 55 after? Tanya**_

Circa 55 was the hotel's restaurant and Edward had not eaten there in years.

_**Hey, see I knew you would survive! It's easy, I pay Jasper to deal with them for me! One hour, sounds good! See you then! Edward**_

Edward ran upstairs and threw on black dress pants and a charcoal button down shirt with his black blazer. He slipped on a pair of black dress shoes and grabbed the keys to his BMW and headed out.

When he pulled up to the hotel, he handed the valet his keys and walked in the lobby. As he approached the bar he heard his name. He turned around to see Tanya coming from the elevators, dressed in a simple, short black dress and black sandals. She smiled at him and gave him a long hug.

When they pulled back, she took a look at Edward. Something had happened, she could immediately tell, even in the short time she had known him. "What happened?"

He laughed at her ability to read him, "No, this is not about me tonight, I promised that I would listen about your meeting. So let's go sit in the bar and get a few drinks before we eat."

She linked her arm through his and started walking to the bar, "Oh no, you do not get off that easy. We will be talking about you, as well!"

"Okay, but you first." They sat down at a small table.

"Deal," Tanya laughed as the waiter came up to their table. If he recognized Edward, he did not let on; the staff here was extremely discreet. They decided on ordering a bottle of wine to split.

Once the waiter left to get their wine, Edward looked over at Tanya, "So, let's hear it. Did they convince you to sell the book rights?"

Tanya took in a deep breath, "Well, they are interested in several of my books, but the one they really want it _The Journey_. It is my most personal piece; the main characters are loosely based on Jeff and me. It is about a woman whose fiancé is believed to be dead in an accident, but he really is not." Edward nodded, it did sound like a plot that a studio would be interested in. "Anyways, I told them that I would only consider it if they allowed some conditions. The first being I want to be in on writing the screenplay and the second is that I want to be in on the casting and be on set during filming."

Edward continued to nod, the waiter interrupting for a few minutes while he poured their wine. "Sounds reasonable. What did they say?"

"They had no problems with it, they said that these are often times stipulations that authors request when they sell their book rights to a studio." She took a small sip of wine.

"So you said yes?"

Tanya took in another deep breath, "Well, that depends on you, Edward."

Edward gave Tanya a puzzled look "Me, why?"

"I want you to play the lead role," she watched his face for a reaction. He was surprised to say the least. "Look, this book is my baby, I want to trust that whoever is involved will be true to its meaning. I know I can trust you. You are a great actor and I would be honored if you would be a part of this movie."

Edward was finally able to respond, "I am so honored that you would ask me, Tanya, are you sure that I would be right for this? I mean did you say anything about this to the studio?"

She shook her head, "No, I never mentioned your name. I wanted to be sure you would be interested first and that they would meet my stipulations." She reached into her bag and pulled out a book, "Here is a copy of the book for you. Read it and tell me what you think." Edward took the book from her and placed it on the table. "Edward, be honest with me if you do not want to do this. I promise you I will not be offended, I would completely understand."

Edward reached across the table and took Tanya's hand, "I will definitely read the book and let you know. I think it would be great to work with you on this. When do they want an answer from you?"

"They want to talk to me again Thursday. I was going to give Jasper a call to ask if I can get some advice from him. Think he would be willing?"

Edward nodded, "Sure, I could call him if you want."

"Thanks that would great!" She looked at Edward with her eyebrow cocked, "Now, are you going to tell me what is going on with you?"

Edward took a deep breath and told her about the studio meeting and what had transpired. She sat quietly while he told her about Bella's retirement. When he finished, he took a sip of wine and waited for her response.

The whole thing caught Tanya off-guard and she could tell that Edward was hurting from this new development. She also knew exactly what Bella was doing; she was shutting Edward out to protect herself from hurting anymore than she already was. She was doing the exact thing Edward had been doing for months.

"Have you tried to get in contact with her?" Edward nodded his head.

"I left her a few messages, she has not contacting me. Alice is trying to find out where she might be staying." He leaned forward with his elbows on the table. "It's killing me Tanya. She is too young and too talented to be doing this to herself. She cancelled interview, backed out of two movies, and did not attend her last movie's premiere," he dragged his fingers through his hair in frustration, "I am so worried about her and at the same time I am fucking pissed at her for making me feel guilty for taking some time for myself to think."

"Edward, you have nothing to feel guilty about. You cannot do that to yourself. This is how she is dealing, she just wants it to be gone. Trust me when I tell you she is probably consumed by guilt at what she did. You need to find her and talk to her. This whole avoidance dance has gone on way too long." She felt like they were at a dead end and either Edward or Bella wanted to make that first step.

They moved into the restaurant and continued talking about her book and her studio meeting. He was surprised to find out that her meeting at the studio was with Aro. Edward called Jasper before their food arrived and he agreed to see Tanya in the morning at his office. Her agent in NYC had given her a name of an agent out in LA, but she wanted someone she could trust. Jasper usually did not take authors as clients, but he was making an exception for her. Besides, Alice would have killed him if he didn't.

They did not talk anymore about Bella. Tanya didn't want to upset him anymore, he was obviously beating himself up with guilt and the only way to fix it was to face it, something he had to do on his own.

The next few days were hectic for Tanya. She met with Jasper who said he would represent her and attend her meeting with the studio the next day. She had not heard from Edward except for a text message he sent her after her third call of the day.

_**Can't talk, reading this awesome book a friend gave me yesterday. Halfway done. I will call you when I finish.**_

She was nervous to know if he would like it or not, she spoke to Jasper about her desire to have Edward play the male lead and he thought it was a great idea. Alice had filled him on the plot the night before.

About midnight, she was still awake watching TV in her hotel room when her phone buzzed.

_**I'll do it. Edward**_

* * *

**Chapter Eighteen**

Edward was able to read through scripts pretty quickly, but he had never read anything as fast as he read _The Journey_. The story was beautiful and Tanya was a brilliant writer. He could see why there was so much interest in her work.

When he spoke to Alice about it, she screamed in the phone for five minutes how he had to do this movie, that it was her favorite book of Tanya's. After spending twenty four hours reading it, only breaking to eat some cereal, and having Emmett make fun of him for reading 'chick lit', he knew he had to be a part of it.

He had finished reading it pretty late, but as promised, he texted Tanya that he would do it. He knew her and Jasper had a meeting with the studio in the morning, so he wanted them to have a decision. He called Jasper and agreed to meet him at his office after they had their meeting.

He woke up the next morning excited for his new project, even though it would be awhile before he was able to work on it since the screenplay still had to be completed. Alice came over with bagels and they talked about the project, she was ecstatic, and they both spoke to Elizabeth who was having a wonderful book tour and was possibly going to extend it due to the high turnout. She never mentioned Bella, and Edward never brought her up. He felt horrible and guilty for keeping something like this from her, but he also knew that she was going to have a hard time with the news. When Bella cheated on him, it not only broke his heart, but Elizabeth's as well. It is true about twins, Edward and Elizabeth have always felt one another's pain. Watching Edward struggle over the past months was painful for Elizabeth, too. Although she would grow to accept it if he and Bella were to get back together, she would always be watchful and worried that it would happen again.

After promising to check in on Jack, he and Alice had to say goodbye and leave for Jasper's office. They left in Edward's truck weaving their way through the small group of paparazzi. "Must be something else more exciting happening, the group is small today," Alice quipped.

"I could only hope," he laughed, "or maybe they are just beginning to realize that I truly live a boring life."

When they arrived at Jasper's office, Jennifer directed them into a conference room that had been set up for lunch. "Hey guys!" Jasper shook Edward's hand and gave Alice a quick kiss. "So, the studio is excited about the movie and the fact that you want to do it, Edward." Tanya stood to hug both Edward and Alice.

Jasper was pleased at how the meeting went, he was more please that Edward decided to do the movie. After this one, he would only need to sign on to do one more movie for DonTanyan. He hated that Edward was locked in like this, after his obligations were met, he decided that it would be the last time Edward would be committed like that.

_ Aro agreed to all the stipulations that Tanya asked for, never batting an eye when she said she wanted to be part of the casting of the actors. Once he agreed, Jasper told him that Edward was interested. Jasper knew who Tanya had in mind for the female lead role, she had told him prior to the meeting. After telling her that Bella retired, she just shrugged her shoulders. After telling Aro who she wanted, he exclaimed, "If you make it possible, I will add on a bonus!" _

_ After their meeting wrapped, Tanya and Aro spoke privately in the corner while he was getting some contract information together so he could get it written up quickly when they returned to his office. DonTanyan was smiling and nodding and then the two shook hands. _

_ Once they were in his car, Jasper questioned her on how on Earth she was going to manage to pull off getting Bella to do this movie. "You know Tanya, they are not speaking and no one knows where she is. Do you really think that you will be able to get her to agree to this, or get Edward to agree to this for that matter?"_

_ "Aro knows how to get in touch with her," she looked over at Jasper. "He is going to get me a meeting with her." She looked pleased._

_ "Unreal, you have been in LA for only a few days and you are already getting information I couldn't. Sure you need me?" Tanya laughed at him._

_ "It's simple, he wants me happy. You know he wants to buy the rights for more of my books. I am using that. I didn't ask for her information, I just asked him to set up a meeting at the studio."_

_ "Well, I am impressed. I hope you know what you are doing." He was still nervous about Edward's reaction._

_ "It's more than the movie, Jasper. He's dying inside and they need to talk face to face. They are both punishing themselves. I need to do something." That is when she explained Hawaii to him. _

_ He had to admit, it was a good plan, but a long shot. He agreed to let Alice in on it and they both agreed that they would not tell Edward until after she met with Bella._

The four sat down to eat and Jasper and Tanya filled the two of them in on how the meeting went, leaving out the fact that Tanya wanted Bella for the other lead role. After they finished up, Edward left to meet Emmett and Alice waited behind for Jasper to finish up.

"Okay, spill. Who do you want for the female lead?" Alice knew they had someone in mind, Jasper laughed, nothing got by Alice.

"Well, Tanya here wants Bella," Alice's mouth hung to the floor.

"Are you crazy?" There was no way Bella or Edward would agree to it.

Tanya laughed at Alice, "No, I am not crazy. You read the book, can you honestly tell me two people more suited for these roles?' Alice agreed, she had a valid point. She pulled the book of her shelf last night and read through it, and she had thought they would have been great for the movie.

"I agree it's just…" she trailed off looking for an excuse, but she stopped. Maybe this was the push they both needed. So, instead she looked at Tanya, "You know, it's worth a try." Both Tanya and Jasper smiled at her, her support was definitely needed. She had been through hell and back with Edward during this ordeal and no one knew him better at this point. If she thought for a second that it would be a bad idea, they would have listened to her.

Jasper knew that the past three months were hard on Alice two-fold. Not only did it affect her job, she also had to watch her friend suffer. When she went on Edward's press tour and premiere with him in NYC she was constantly on edge and looking over Edward trying her best to protect him. It had been a nightmare of a few days and when she called Jasper one night to tell him about the press junket, she cried for the pain Edward was feeling.

Alice and Edward shared a close bond that most men in Jasper's position would not understand. He knew Alice had several relationships end because of other men's insecurities towards her and Edward's relationship. He understood it and completely accepted it. He knew that there was nothing between them, nor had there ever been. He knew that being with Alice meant he had to accept her relationship with Edward, and Jasper did just that.

The three of them finally decided to call it a day and Tanya said she would let them know when, or if, she heard from the studio about a meeting with Bella. She had something else up her sleeve, but for the life of him, Jasper could not figure out what it was.

* * *

**Chapter Nineteen**

Tanya knew she was overstepping her bounds, but she knew in her heart, she was doing the right thing. Thanks to Aro, she was able to secure this meeting with at the studio without Edward knowing. She felt like a horrible friend going behind his back, but as the old saying goes 'desperate times deserve desperate measures'. When she discussed the reason for this meeting a few days ago with Jasper and Alice, they were supportive of her decision to step in. She only hoped that Elizabeth would feel the same way when she found out.

She was waiting in the same conference room she had her last meeting with Aro in four days ago. He arranged this whole thing for her. It is amazing what people will do for you when you have something they want, especially when it is something so bankable. Tanya was never one to use power, but being in LA dealing with all the Hollywood types was making her braver.

She had a wonderful weekend with her new friends. She and Alice went shopping and they all hung out at Edward's house most of the weekend. She had a few friends in NYC, but most were writers that she did not have much in common with. She never thought she would enjoy LA so much.

The door opened, and Aro's assistant nodded at her, and Bella walked through the door. Tanya had never seen Bella in person before, only in pictures, but this person looked so much different. She had lost a lot of weight and looked horribly sad. Tanya knew the look in her eyes; it was the same that Edward had. No matter how much he smiled, it would never reach his eyes. She was wearing a black t-shirt and skinny jeans with black ballet flats. She wore no make-up and her hair was pulled into a high ponytail. She was still very beautiful. Like Edward, the sadness that loomed over them just enhanced their beauty making them both real and not just actors on a screen.

Tanya stood to approach Bella extending her had to her, "Hi, Bella. It is nice to meet you, I am Tanya Denali," Bella took her hand; she was so timid and frail.

"Nice to meet you, too." She looked confused by the meeting, her agent had told her that the studio requested she meet with Tanya, and she agreed. Aro had so understood when she spoke with him last, that she felt she owed it to him.

Tanya waved for Bella to sit down next to her, "I guess you are wondering why you were asked to come here to meet me," Bella nodded. "Well, there are a few reasons why. Are you familiar with my books?" Bella nodded again, "I just sold my book right to _The Journey_ to the studio. Part of the agreement was that I get to a say in who will portray the main characters. I want you." She looked at Tanya completely shocked.

Bella shook her head at Tanya, "I am flattered, Tanya, but I retired."

"So I have heard. A little young for that, huh?" Bella said nothing, her expression a complete blank. Tanya could see the pain and punishment that she was putting herself through. "I guess that this brings me to my other reason for being here." She leaned forward trying to make eye contact with Bella.

"Bella, I am never one to pry in people's personal lives, I have had it done to me and I hated it. However, sometimes two people need someone to step in and help," she was treading lightly; she did not want Bella to get scared or angry and go running.

She finally met Tanya's eyes, "I don't understand."

Tanya decided it was all or nothing. "I am friends with Edward," Bella looked at Tanya and she could see her lip trembling and eyes fill up with tears. She scooted her chair closer to Bella and took her hand. "I want to start off by saying that he does not know about us meeting and he has no clue about what I am going to say to you," Bella nodded. "I met Edward in New York when Elizabeth had a book signing and we became fast friends." Bella looked over Tanya looking at her in a way that insinuated something other than friendship between Edward and Tanya.

Tanya instantly recognized the look, pure jealousy. "Bella, I know what you are thinking, but I Edward and I are just friends. I am not in the habit of being with a man who is in love with someone else." This got Bella's attention.

"We broke up, what he does is his own business," as soon as the words left her mouth, Bella knew she was lying to Tanya. She did care about what he did, too much. That is why she made the decision to retire and get out of the spotlight. She let fame go to her head and ego and now she was paying for it, she lost the one person in the world that mattered. Every day she felt the loss of his presence in her life, and every day she had to push herself to go on living without him.

Tanya was not biting, "You can say that all you want, but I know you really don't believe that," Bella looked down at her lap. "And if you don't think that Edward is going through the same thing you are, you are very wrong. When he found out you retired, he felt like he was losing you all over again," Bella shook her head in denial.

"He broke it off, Tanya. He said it was over and that he didn't trust me anymore. I had to let him go," she was starting to cry softly.

"No, he was upset because he asked you for time alone that you were not giving him. Trust me, not a day goes by that he does not regret saying that to you. What did you expect of him? You cheated on him, and it was everywhere, everyone knew. He was humiliated and he needed space."

Tanya stood to get a box a Kleenex she saw at the other end of the table and handed it Bella before taking her seat again. "I don't understand why you are telling me this," Bella said.

"Because I am seeing two people in complete pain who continue to punish themselves. You both have been avoiding each other because you are afraid, but where is that getting you both? He is miserable, and obviously, so are you. I want you to give each other a chance to talk and see if anything is left to fix." Tanya reached into her purse and pulled out an envelope for Bella. "I want you to take this, it is my peace offering for you both. Take it and decide what you want to do, Edward will be getting the same thing." Bella lifted the flap to open the envelope and looked inside.

Inside the envelope were plane tickets dated for next week and a key, "I don't get it, what is this?"

"It is a plane ticket to Hawaii and a key to my home there. It is private and if you play your cards right, no one will even know you are there. Use it. Go there with Edward and talk about everything. Hell, yell and scream for all I care, just stop avoiding." Tanya stood and grabbed her bag off the floor and pulled out a book, "One more thing, take this," she handed the book to Bella, "I want you to read this before you decide on retiring. I think that you would be great in the role."

Bella continued to stare at the envelope still digesting this meeting with Edward's new friend. This woman did not know her at all, yet she was helping her more than anyone else had in three months. "Thank you, Tanya. I want you to know that I regret what I did every day. Hurting Edward killed me, he is the love of my life. My retirement will happen whether he is in my life or not. I don't want to go back to that."

Tanya looked at Bella one last time before leaving the room, "I understand what you are saying, but this movie, this part, is something that will help you heal. Make it your last movie. Just think about it," she walked towards the door pausing for a brief moment. "This is your last chance to make things right with Edward, don't screw it up," with that she walked out the door. _One down, one to go, _she thought.

Edward was waiting for Tanya at the hotel bar, she had another meeting at the studio and she wanted to discuss it with him. Since reading her book he had been excited about taking the lead role. He would not only be working with Tanya, but he was one movie closer to completing his obligations to the studio.

As he took a pull on his beer, he saw Tanya walking into the bar and waved. She walked up to him and kissed his cheek, "Hey, Edward! Hope you weren't waiting long." She took a seat across from him.

"Nope, just enough time to grab a beer and enjoy the quiet," he waved the waiter over to bring Tanya a glass of wine. "So, another meeting at the studio? Everything okay with your contracts?" The waiter put the glass in front of Tanya.

"It was more of a personal meeting," Edward looked quizzically at her, Tanya had no idea how Edward was going to react to her meeting, she just knew that lying about it was not an option. In the end, if this is what it took for him and Bella to talk, she would risk him being angry. "I met with Bella today, Edward."

She looked directly at Edward; he seemed to be processing this new information. "Why did you meet with Bella?"

"I want her to play the other lead in the movie with you," his face registered pure shock.

"Why would you do that? After everything, I mean she retired! I don't understand what would give you the right!" Tanya was expecting this reaction from him.

"Why? Because you both are brilliant actors and when I think about my book and my words being made into a movie, I cannot think of two better choices for the lead characters. I am not doing this maliciously, you know I am right!" She softened her voice, "Look, I am not Elizabeth or Alice, as much as they love you, they have not pushed you to face Bella. I am not going to watch you lose yourself and always wonder 'what if'. You and Bella are not living your lives anymore, you are surviving day to day with guilt and pain. I cannot watch you live that way!"

Edward sat in silence not knowing what to say because everything she was saying to him was the truth. "I appreciate it Tanya, but to talk to Bella without telling me first..."

She cut him off. "Okay, what would you have done if I told you first? Talked me out of it, begged me not to do it? Well, I am sorry, this has gone too far. If you decide after talking to her that you cannot be with her anymore then fine, at least you tried and talked." He was angry, but she was confident that he would get over it. "You can put on this brave face to the public, but you are not fooling anyone close to you by a long shot. Just because they choose to ignore it, doesn't mean it is going to go away."

He was running his fingers through is hair and down his face. While he was upset that she talked to Bella, he had one question that only she could answer. "How is she?" he asked quietly.

"Same as you, just a bit more open about it, Edward," he closed his eyes and nodded. "I do not know her personally, but I can tell you that the woman I saw today is lost. She is not trying to make you feel guilty, she is trying to punish herself for hurting you."

"What next, Tanya? I don't know how to reach her. I think she has given up all hope." Tanya reached into her bag and pulled out an envelope similar to the one she gave Bella.

Edward froze; to him the envelope was too similar to the one that ruined his life over three months ago. Tanya sensed his hesitation. "Edward, this is me helping you and giving you and Bella the privacy you need right now." He opened the envelope slowly and pulled out the ticket, which left two days before Bella's, and keys.

"What is this?"

"It's to my home in Hawaii. I gave the same thing to Bella. I am hoping that the two of you will go there and talk it out. It is very private, and I will help you arrange everything to keep it that way. It's time, Edward. You both cannot continue on this way."

Edward placed the keys and tickets back in the envelope. "Why are you doing this, Tanya?"

"Because, like I told you when we first met, I would give anything to be with Jeff again, to have a second chance. You can have it. I know she hurt you, Edward, but the woman I saw today is dying inside because of it. Hear her out then make a decision. No one needs to know, it is between you and Bella, no one else. Just please do this for yourself." She pulled her chair next to him and pulled his chin towards her so she was looking at him.

"Thank you, Tanya. You are right, I need to do this, we both do." He took her hand and brought it to his lips, "I want you to know that whatever happens, I am grateful for everything you have done."

She smiled at him, "You can repay me by going to Hawaii and being true to yourself." She had only known him weeks, but Edward Cullens was already proving to be the best friend she ever had. "If it wasn't for you, I would have never came out here and decided to make my book into a movie. It's all about taking a risk and not looking back." He nodded in agreement.

They talked a little bit more about the movie and her return to NYC. She was leaving tonight, but would be back next week for two months assisting with the screenplay. The studio had found her a condo, so she had to head back to the city to get a few things in order.

As they were about to part ways in the lobby, Edward pulled Tanya into a hug. "Thank you. I love you for everything." She smiled into his chest.

"I love you, too. I will see you when I get back in town next week," he pulled away and smiled down at her.

"No, you won't," she looked confused, "I will be in Hawaii."

* * *

**Chapter Twenty**

Edward had just landed at Honolulu International Airport and was flying under the radar. He had no idea how Alice and Sam did it, but he was able to check in at LAX unnoticed and Alice bought the first class seat that had been vacant next to him so no one would sit next to him. Tanya had not only given him a key to her home, but she had someone leave her car in the airport lot and gave him the keys. No rental car or taxi to think about. He looked at the text message from Tanya that gave specifics to what area the car was parked in with a description, a black 2011 Jeep Wrangler. After retrieving his bags and with his baseball hat and sunglasses firmly in place, he headed into the tropical air to find the car.

Thinking of absolutely everything, Tanya had a GPS programmed with her address. She had told him that the house was located on the North Shore and that it had its own beach. He had looked at real estate once in Hawaii, so he was guessing she spent quite a few million on her property. She assured him it was private and that the people who took care of the house for her would have it cleaned and stocked and were very discreet. She had given him their number in case he needed it.

The air felt wonderful here and when he approached his destination, he saw a gorgeous gated house. He keyed in the code for the gate, and drove up the drive. This would be his home for the next three weeks, only Alice, Jasper, and Tanya knew Bella was with him. Elizabeth and Sam knew about the trip, too, but they thought he was here alone. He would be returning the first week in November.

When he walked through the front door, he was greeted by open space and when he looked towards the back of the house, the glass walls opened up like doors out onto the patio. He set his bags down and walked into the kitchen and he opened up the doors and felt the air hit him. He breathed in the scent of the ocean that was distinctly Hawaii. There was a pool and a hot tub, but what had him mesmerized, was the beach surrounded by so much foliage that it was as if you were on your own private island.

Edward spent the next hour wondering through the house. The master bedroom was on the first floor with the same glass wall, and the other two bedrooms were upstairs, each had its own balcony. The living room had a huge entertainment system and off to the side was a den. In the corner of the living room sat a black baby grand piano, Edward ran his fingers across the top of it as he made his way into the dining room. The kitchen was a masterpiece, all white and cherry wood with stainless steel appliances. It was a shame that she was only here a few times a year.

He was suddenly nervous when he realized what this home meant to him. He would be facing a lot of demons here and he was still scared that Bella would decide last minute not to come. He had text messaged her asking her if she would be making the trip here and she immediately responded that she would be there. That was it, nothing else was said. It was as if they were both saving it up. She would be arriving late tomorrow, and he was picking her up at the airport. He was to go to the lot and she would text him when she arrived. He only hoped her trip was as uneventful as his was. He had no idea how long she was planning on staying, but he was glad that he decided to stay for three weeks. This place was Heaven, and he needed a little bit of that.

After he dropped his bags in the master bedroom, he changed into shorts and a t-shirt; he saw a hammock in the backyard with his name written all over it. It was under a group of trees and the light breeze rocked him to sleep in no time.

_Bang, slam! _Edward was jerked awake suddenly by sounds coming from the house. In his quest to jump out of the hammock, the thing spun around dumping him on the ground. "FUCK!"

He heard footsteps running across the patio and when he turned himself over, he looked into a pair of brown eyes he had been missing for so long. "Edward, are you okay?" Bella reached her hand out to help him up.

"Yeah, what are you doing here? You scared the shit out of me!" He grabbed her hand as she helped him up and he brushed the dirt off himself. "You weren't supposed to be here until tomorrow."

"I'm sorry. I changed my flight, I wanted to get here sooner." He took a good look at her. She looked a lot thinner and her eyes were dark, but she still looked so beautiful. His heart was ramming in his chest.

"No, don't apologize. How did you get here? I thought I was going to pick you up tomorrow." She looked into his eyes, and tried to figure out how she had gone this long without seeing him.

"When I called Alice and told her I was coming sooner, she arranged for a private driver to bring me here. You aren't mad? Did you have plans or something?"

"No plans, and no, I am not mad." He smiled at her as they walked into the house. He looked at the clock in the kitchen a realized that he had been asleep for four hours. He grabbed a banana off the island in the kitchen and asked Bella if she wanted a tour.

She chose the bedroom directly above his. When he offered her the master suite, she said she preferred to be upstairs. He brought her bags upstairs and left her alone so she could get settled in. He told her he would take care of dinner.

He walked downstairs and sat on the couch. His heart still racing in his chest. She looked beautiful and sad. He missed her so much, he loved her even more. He knew that these feelings would come back once he saw her; he just had no idea how intense it would be.

He heard the shower start above him and made his way into the kitchen. The fridge and freezer were completely stocked. He took out the makings for a salad. There was a grill out back, and he thought of firing it up when Bella was ready. He was so busy chopping veggies and throwing them into a big bamboo bowl, that he did not hear Bella walk into the kitchen.

"Need any help?" He looked at her startled. She was wearing denim cut-offs and a blue tank top. Her hair was pulled up into a messy bun at the top of her head. She looked as nervous as he was.

"No, think I got this covered," he pointed to the now rather large salad. "I was thinking I could grill out if you wanted."

"Actually, I am fine with the salad, looks like you have plenty there," she smirked as she nodded towards the bowl.

He laughed, "I got carried away, wasn't paying attention. You want to pick a wine out of the rack over there?" She nodded as he pointed towards the built in rack by the fridge.

She pulled out a bottle of Chardonnay and began looking through drawers for the wine opener. "Do you want to eat out of the patio?" He nodded as she opened the wine and grabbed glasses, plates, and silverware. "I'll just go set the table."

As she walked out the door, he watched her. He longed to touch her, to hold her hand and pull her to him. He wanted to feel her lips on his again, so badly that he could feel the tears in the back of his eyes threatening to make an appearance. This was going to be hard; this is what he had been avoiding for months.

He took the bowl out to the patio and ran back in for dressings. When he returned, she had plated the salad and was pouring the wine. They talked about the property a bit before settling in an uncomfortable silence both staring out at the ocean.

"This is so hard, Edward. I have dreamed of sitting beside you and talking about everything, and now I have no idea of what to say to you." He looked at her as she placed her fork on the table.

"I know," he wanted to take her hand, but she held them both tightly in her lap. "Look, I want to start by apologizing to you about how I acted in London. I was wrong to send you away, I just didn't know what to say to you yet and I wasn't ready to deal with everything."

She looked up at him with tears in her eyes, "No, Edward. I should not have come there, you asked for time and I should have respected that. I am the one who is sorry."

He realized it was time, time to ask the questions he was afraid to hear the answers to. Time to start the healing process together. "Bella, why did you do it?"

She looked out at the ocean, a few strands of her hair that had slipped out of her bun where blowing over her face. He saw her lip trembling and involuntary; he reached over and swept the strands behind her ear. She turned to look at him, feeling the tingling touch of his hand. She always knew when he was near her before she saw him because she would get that same feeling. His hand drifted from her ear to her chin where is lay to rest and she leaned into it. "I don't know, Edward. I am not going to give you the line that I was scared, because I wasn't. I love you, only you. I just was so stupid and got caught up in a moment that I should not have. I am so sorry, Edward, you have to believe me."

She broke down and he felt the tears on his hand as she let emotion take over. He stood up and fell to his knees in front of her chair. He was letting his body react without thinking. He was done thinking. He pulled her down and she fell into his body and held him tightly. The tears were flowing down his face as he nuzzled into her shoulder. He smelled strawberries and vanilla, and he pulled her tighter against him.

He knew what he felt and what he had to say. This was it. Kneeling on the ground with her in his arms is where he wanted to be, "I do believe you." It was with those words that Bella broke into another sob and Edward stood, pulling her up with him.

Not breaking his hold on her, they stood swaying as the sun set into the ocean. There was still a lot to deal with and talk about, but at least now they were in it together.

"As much as I don't want to let you go, we should head back in," he had heard some thunder in the distance and saw some lighting on the horizon. They broke apart and silently brought everything into the house and cleaned up from dinner.

When they were done, they went into the living room. They sat on the couch as he held her hand and she was snuggled into his chest. There were no sounds in the house and the only light came from the kitchen.

"Where do we go from here, Edward?" she whispered into his chest.

"We take it slow and talk about our time apart. I have so much to talk to you about," he played with a stray hair on her neck.

"Me, too," they sat like that for another hour before deciding they should both turn in and they would start again fresh in the morning. He kissed her lightly on the cheek before she disappeared upstairs.

Edward went into his room and pulled off his clothes, leaving his boxers on. He opened the glass wall to feel the breeze, it was drizzling outside, the storm still looming somewhere in the distance. After he used the bathroom, he pulled out his phone to send Tanya a text message.

_**There are no words to fully describe how thankful I am for all you have done. Feel better than I have in months. I love you. Edward**_

He texted Alice to let her know that he had arrived and he would call her tomorrow. Before he lay down on the bed, his phone sounded with a new message.

_**Don't have to thank me, just be happy and true to yourself. Love Tanya**_

As he started to drift off, comforted by the fact that she was asleep in the room above him, he heard a knock at his door. He pushed himself up and saw Bella in sleep shorts and a t-shirt. "Hey, everything okay?"

She shook her head at him. "Strange house and storm coming, need I say more?" He laughed softly at her. She hated storms at night, especially in a strange place.

He pulled back the light weight blanket and offered her the other side of the bed. She lay down next to him as he lay back down and rolled onto his side to look at her. She had let her hair down and it spread across the pillow in long waves. She smiled at him and closed her eyes. He watched her as she drifted to sleep. He had every part of her memorized, and it seemed like it had been years since they had last been like this.

As he started to fall asleep, he heard her whisper, "Edward, I love you."

He thought she had said it in her sleep, but when he opened his eyes, she was looking at him. She reached out and ran her finger over the stubble on his jaw. He knew that they were far from taking any huge steps, and as much as he wanted her, they needed to wait before they were there again. He mirrored her actions and ran his finger down her soft jaw, "I love you, too." She smiled at him and closed her eyes. She dropped her hand and he pulled her to him. He needed to feel her and wake up with her like he did so many other times before.

She allowed him to wrap his arms around her as she tangled her legs with his. The rain was coming down harder outside and the light breeze cooled the room down significantly. But neither one of them moved. They remained that way throughout the night. Occasionally when one would stir, the other would hold on tighter, too scared to let the feelings of their bodies wrapped together disappear and to afraid to awaken and realize it was just a dream.

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-One**

Edward woke up to two things the next morning. First, leaving the doors open all night led to an incredibly bright wake-up call and second, he was alone in his bed. _Damn, _he thought, _I must have dreamed the whole thing_. In frustration, he rolled onto his stomach to bury his head in the pillow. He was assaulted with the smell of strawberries and vanilla, he realized it wasn't a dream after all.

He went to jump in the shower and get dressed. He decided against shaving, he was lazy about having a clean shaven face because he would have a five o'clock shadow in a few hours anyways. His hair was growing back out from the last movie role, and it settled wildly on the top of his head. He pulled on a t-shirt and board shorts and made his way into the kitchen to make coffee.

The house was quiet and coffee was already made. He stood in the middle of the kitchen listening for any sounds in the house. He went upstairs and knocked on Bella's door, when there was no response, he peeked inside to see her bed was made and she was nowhere in sight. Panic started to set in. She did not leave; her things were still in her room. He jogged downstairs and when he hit the bottom step, he saw a not on the table.

_**Hey, Edward. Went for a walk down on the beach. Love, B**_

As he signed a breath of relief, his phone rang. He looked at the screen, "Hi, Alice!"

"Hey! Just calling to see how Hawaii is so far?" She sounded anxious. Alice had been so nervous about Edward's reaction when Bella called her a few days ago to change her flight. She asked Alice not to say anything to Edward, in case she changed her mind. It had been the first time she spoke to Bella in three months.

"Good. Hey, thanks for helping Bella out with the car service. A little warning would have been nice. She scared the shit out of me when she got here," he chuckled at the memory of flinging out of the hammock.

"Sorry, she asked me not to say anything. I think she was still on the fence and had not made a definite decision about leaving early. So, have you guys talked? Is she there?"

"No, she is walking on the beach right now. Yes, we started to talk. We still have a long way to go, but I think that this trip is a start." He sounded more positive than he had in months, Alice couldn't help but think he sounded more like the old Edward.

"I am glad to hear that. I just finished rescheduling your shoots and a few interviews for you, I will email you the new schedule." The last minute trip had caused some problems with things that were already scheduled.

"Anyone give you any problems with the changes?" He felt bad that Alice had more work to do.

"No. When I told them you were taking a much needed break, no one gave me any problems. Oh, Tanya told me to let you know that she will be sending you pages from the screenplay as they get done. I guess they are moving along fast with it," they had paired Tanya with a seasoned script writer, the studio wanted to move quickly on it.

"Great! I cannot wait to see it." They talked for a few more minutes and Alice had to run. She promised not to bother him and said she would call again in a few days.

Edward went into the kitchen to find something to eat before going to sit outside. The sky was still looking dreary, and it looked like more storms were rolling in. He squinted into the distance to see if he could see Bella close by. He did not know just how long she had been gone for, and he was beginning to worry. He walked barefoot onto the path that led to the beach and started walking, that is when he saw her. She was wearing a white shirt with a bikini top underneath, tied at the waist and her cut-offs from last night, Her hair was piled on the top of her head, stray pieces blowing in the breeze. She was sitting in the sand staring out at the ocean.

She saw him approach out of the corner of her eye. As he got closer, she looked up to him and smiled, "Mind if I join you?" She shook her head no as he sat down on the sand next to her, "I was worried when you were gone so long."

"Sorry, I must have lost track of time. It's so beautiful and peaceful here," he nodded in agreement.

He pointed to the dark clouds in the distance, "Looks like another storm brewing." She looked over at him taking in his profile as he looked up at the sky. He still took her breath away. His hair had grown longer again and the scruff that covered his face looked rough, but she knew for a fact it was soft. She never minded the beard and loved when he was not filming and he let it grow out.

He turned to face her, and his breath caught in his chest. He was feeling the same way he felt the first time he ever laid eyes on her five years ago. She still possessed the ability to look at him in a way that makes everything else around him disappear. The wind was beginning to pick up bringing them out of there haze and he stood up and offered her his hand. "Let's head back in," she smiled and placed her hand in his. He looked down at their hands joined together and one thought came to mind, _still a perfect fit._

They made it back to the house just in time before the rain started coming down. It was still early for lunch, so they each grabbed a bowl of cereal and curled up on the couch to watch some TV. They were watching a local news channel when it switched to a commercial break causing them both to freeze. On the TV screen was the new trailer for _Love's Past_. They sat in silence watching the trailer.

Edward turned the TV off when it ended and turned to Bella, "Why did you decide to retire?" He caught her off guard.

She cleared her throat, "I can't do it anymore, Edward. I let fame turn me into something I am not and it cost me you."

Edward stared at the blank TV screen, "So, you are telling me you cheated on me because you are an actress?" He knew he sounded harsh, but she knew that this was not going to be easy. She expected questions like this from Edward.

"No, but I got caught up in the moment and foolishly thought that I was invincible and that I could do whatever I wanted and not get caught or pay the consequences. I got carried away in a moment that I look back at now and can find no good reason why I did it. I was careless and destructive. I don't want to go through that again, and I don't want to put you through that again either." She was trying not to cry, she did not want to, she wanted to talk to him and make him understand how much she regretted everything she did to him, she did not want tears to get in the way of how serious she really was.

Edward was pulling his lower lip in between his teeth struggling with the conversation. "Edward, do you know that everyday I think about the last time we talked at our house? The look in your eyes killed me, watching you walk out the door destroyed me. I laid on that floor for hours before I could pull myself up." She touched his arm for him to look at her, he couldn't. "I lost not just my fiancé, I lost my best friend and my future."

He knew the feeling, he lost the same thing that day. His home would never be the same without her in it. He bought that house for them to raise their own family in. "Bella, I lost everything, too. It broke my heart to leave you there on that floor crying. It broke my heart to see you in another man's arms. It broke my heart to ask you to move out of the home that represented our future, and it still kills me to be in that house without you." He looked at her, brown meeting blue and as much as he wanted to feel angry, he couldn't anymore. He knew that it was time to forgive and move forward or to forgive and let her go.

He cupped her face with his hand and pulled her towards him, feeling her lips on his having not felt them in what seemed like forever. She wove her fingers through his hair, feeling the silky locks flow between her fingers. He deepened the kiss, and when his tongue touched hers, all decisions were made and everything fell into place. Feeling her at that moment, he knew he would never feel this way again. If he left her right now, he doubted anyone else could ever make him feel this way.

He slowly pulled away and looked into her eyes; he felt her breath hitch and a solitaire tear slid down her cheek as he brushed it away with his thumb. "I love you so much, Bella. I can't go on trying to be without you anymore, it's too much."

She sighed and leaned into his hand, "I can't be without you anymore, Edward. I love you, too. I will spend the rest of our lives proving it to you." She reached up and brushed away the lock of hair that fell across his forehead.

With her hands still woven in his hair, she pulled him to her and captured his lips once again. There was more urgency in this kiss, they were making up for the months they were apart and begging one another for forgiveness. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her tighter to him. Desperate for the closeness, he pulled her into his lap so she was straddling him, her legs on either side of him.

Bella felt his hands sneak under her shirt touching her bare back as she sighed into his mouth. Her hands were buried deep in his hair massaging his scalp. He needed to be closer to her and to feel more of her, his body had missed her. He stood up from the couch and she wrapped her legs around his waist as he walked them into his bedroom. He had left the doors open and the rain was coming down harder and the breeze was blowing across the room chilling their heated bodies.

As Edward lay Bella on the bed, she untied her shirt and slid it off her body as he pulled his t-shirt over his head. He moved up the bed, hovering over her body as she slowly started to pull his shorts down while he untied her bikini top and moved it away from her body. His hands followed the path down her stomach and snapped open her shorts dragging them down her body. The remaining clothes, their underwear, disappeared quickly and they lay embracing each other and running their hands over one another.

Edward left her lips and traced a path with his tongue to her breast and found her nipple hard, he gently made a circle around it with his tongue while his hand caressed her other breast. Bella arched her back in response as his name that like a whisper fell softly from her lips. He licked a path to her other breast and traced a circle around the other nipple, this time trailing his hand to find her center hot and wet. He used his finger, running it up and down her slit. "God, Edward, don't stop," she moaned.

He began to kiss slowly down her body and when he reached her stomach, he slipped a finger into her folds. He looked up at Bella and she looked down at him with hooded eyes. They were both breathing heavily. He looked deep into her eyes one more time as he inserted another finger and took her in his mouth. "Edward, yes!" Her hands found his hair and she massaged his scalp with her nails, granting a moan from him that she felt throughout her body. He could feel her walls tightening, but wasn't ready for her to cum yet. He pulled his fingers gently out of her and crashed his lips to hers. "Edward, I need you, I need you inside me." She turned him over on to his back and climbed on top of him.

"I need you, too, Bella," he whispered as she positioned herself over him. Their eyes locked as she slowly sank down on him and the only word that came to Edward's mind was _Home._ He pushed himself up to sit on the bed as she wrapped herself tightly around him. He was so deep inside her and as they moved together he felt as though everything in his world had been set right. He pulled her hair out of the messy bun and as it fell down her back, he buried his long fingers in it and gently pulled her head back. Her face was flushed and her eyes were closed, her lips were slightly parted and he felt her breath on his face.

"Bella, open your eyes," her eyes slowly opened meeting his, "I love you." He kissed her bottom lip before outlining it with his tongue. She opened her mouth fully to him, allowing the kiss too deepen as she moved on top of him. The breeze leaving goose bumps to rise over her arms. It had never been like this for them. They had always been good together, but the intensity of their passion was blinding. He knew he would not last much longer.

He could feel himself being squeezed deeply inside her and knew she was close. He reached between their bodies, finding the bundle of nerves that would free her. He lightly stroked her as her pace quickened and she tightened about him. "Yes, Edward! Please, right there!" As she clenched down on him riding out her orgasm, he could no longer hold out on his own and he screamed out her name.

He felt her body go limp as he fell back on the bed and took her with him. Edward gently pulled out of her and rolled her over to her side where she immediately wrapped herself around him. He brought the sheet over their bodies to cover up from the chill of the wind and the rain.

They stayed in the bed wrapped in each other for hours, drifting in and out of sleep. Edward felt her tears on his bare chest as his own ran down his face. The emotion between the two was impalpable. Feeling her against him made him want to try and move forward from what happened. He knew it would never disappear, but it was now a new reminder of how quickly his life had changed. He also knew what it was like to live without her and he just could not do it without giving up a piece of himself.

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Two**

Bella woke up to rain still falling outside the door, although now it was dark outside, she looked at the clock and saw it was nine pm. She lifted her head and looked up at Edward. He was still in a deep sleep, his beard growing heavier down his neck. This was her dream, to be back in his arms like this. She had thought she lost him forever and now she knew she could not live without him.

Before coming here, she accepted the fact that she would spend the rest of her life haunted by her indiscretion; it would always be looming in the shadows. She remembered back to three months ago when he came home and went to his movie premieres, press junkets, and did the talk show rounds. She watched every interview and looked at every picture. She was obsessed. He was ever the gentleman never bad mouthing her and politely declining questions about their relationship and the affair. She looked at him closely as he spoke taking in his sad features. He had looked tanned and thinner, but his eyes are what broke her. His normally sparkling eyes were dull and troubled. Edward had the type of smile that lit up his whole face, when she saw him in pictures, the smile never met his eyes and although he was still handsome, he was no longer the Edward she had known. What killed her most was that she did that to him.

Her decision to go to London was a bad one that her mom and agent desperately tried to talk her out of. After seeing him deal with the media after what she had done to him, she needed to make sure he was alright. She had also become fearful of what his final decision would be in regards their relationship.

When she saw Edward in London, he was hurt and angry. When they stood in the conference room at the hotel, he never even looked at her. She left embarrassed and heartbroken. When he called her a few days later to say it was over, she no longer cared about her future, because she did not have one without him. She needed to be angry with someone or something. That is the day she decided she was done with acting. To her the lifestyle is what she was going to blame for her life falling apart. It was not rational, but she did not care. She found what she thought was the demon and cut it out of her life.

When she told Aro about her retirement and wanting to be excused from her contract to do more films, he was more than sympathetic. She hated that. Bella did not want sympathy or pity; she wanted to be punished for what she did. When Edward called her a few days after her meeting at the studio, she immediately knew that he had found out about her retirement. No longer wanting to hurt him anymore, she stopped responding to his text messages and voice mails. She selfishly did not stop to think how much she was hurting him again.

She avoided everyone and had purchased a small house in Malibu that was private and peaceful. She spent her days walking along the beach invisible to the world. Her new home had pieces of Edward everywhere from pictures to gifts that he had purchased for her over their five year relationship.

When Aro called her one day to ask her to come down to the studio to meet Tanya Stoan, she was definitely confused. Bella was a huge fan of Tanya's books, and she was excited to meet her even though she had no idea what the meeting was about. Never in a million years did she think that meeting would lead her back to Edward.

Bella read Tanya's book in a day, although it was the second time she had read it. The part was made for Edward, and before the affair, she would have jumped at the chance to be in another movie with him. After reading the book again though, she had come to the conclusion that their break-up and her affair would have only enhanced the tragic love story. But she had made her decision, she would do anything to keep Edward and if it meant giving up her career, she would.

Now watching him sleep so peacefully, she knew she had made the right decision. She was being given a precious gift, a second chance with the man she loves. He was beautiful inside and out. She lifted herself up and dragged her finger over his beard, taking in the sight of his long lashes resting upon the tops his cheeks. She saw a slow smile spread across his face as his eyes fluttered open taking in the beautiful woman who he had missed so much.

"Hey," his voice was thick with sleep, "how long have you been awake?" He grabbed her hand and kissed the back of it.

"Not too long. Thinking that we should eat something," he smiled in agreement. "Breakfast in bed? Or, should I say dinner in bed?" They did that every Sunday when they were together, she had missed it. She would get up before him and make him French toast and they would sit in bed reading the Sunday paper and laughing with one another as they ate. Judging by his beautiful smile at that moment, he was in agreement.

"Want help?" He stretched as she slipped out of bed and pulled his t-shirt on over her head.

"No, I can handle it, you just relax," she leaned down and kissed his lips. When she went to stand back up, he pulled her back and she landed on top of him as he kissed her deeply.

"Sorry, I could not resist. I kind of missed your lips," he still had the ability to make her entire body blush.

She skipped into the kitchen and prepared their breakfast. Two hours later, the food was gone and they had shared a shower only to fall back into bed. They spent the night slowly making love to one another and reassuring each other of their love. They thought of nothing but each other. They were not ready to discuss returning to LA or trying to decide what to tell everyone. This was their time and they did not want to taint it with the outside world.

The next morning, the sun shined brightly through the open door in their room. Edward rolled on to his side taking Bella with him. "I need to shut those damn doors before we fall asleep tonight," he mumbled into her hair.

She giggled running her hands down his back, to his thighs, and then reaching between his legs. He kissed her shoulder and she felt him smile on her skin, "Now, this is a good way to wake up."

She brought her other hand up to his face and into his hair. "Really?" he kissed her jaw and then her mouth, "I will have to remember that," she mumbled against his soft lips. She opened her mouth and felt his tongue slide over hers awakening her desire for him. He rolled her onto her back and pushed his knee between her legs causing her to open to him. They were both ready for each other as he slowly slid deeply into her.

He rocked into her as he kissed her deeply as she wrapped her legs around him to offer herself fully. When she lifted her hips off the bed, he groaned into her mouth and pushed into her harder and more deeply. They could not get close enough; there was always a small amount of space between them that they desperately wanted to close the gap on. As his pace quickened, they were both close to their orgasm, Bella first with Edward following.

He rolled off of her and pulled her into his side. "Good morning," he smiled.

"Good morning to you. I love you," she kissed his chest.

"I love you, so much," he whispered. "You know, we should actually get out of this bed today. We have been in here close to twenty-four hours."

"I suppose so," she climbed over him and off the bed, "what do you say we discuss today's plans in the shower?" She smiled over her shoulder at him as she headed into the bathroom.

In about two seconds, he jumped out of bed and ran up to her and threw her body over his shoulder and into the bathroom to shower.

Another hour later, they were in the kitchen raiding the fridge. They each changed into shorts and t-shirts trying to decide what to do. They did not want to leave their cocoon and risk being spotted, but they did not want to sit around all day either.

Edward hated to be housebound; he had spent too much time in hiding over the past three months, so he thought of an idea. He ran into his room and came back with two baseball hats and his sunglasses. "Do you have a pair of dark glasses?"

"Upstairs in my bag. What are you thinking?"

"I am thinking I want to get out of here and go for a drive, we don't even have to get out of the car. So go get your glasses and tuck your hair up into this," he tossed her one of the baseball hats. She ran upstairs to grab her sunglasses, a pair of flip flops, and put her hair up in a bun on the top of her head. As she ran back downstairs she put his hat on.

"Okay! I am ready!" Edward was putting on his tennis shoes as she flew down the steps. They went to the garage and took the top off the jeep and jumped in.

To say she was excited to be out with Edward was an understatement. She finally felt alive and whole again watching his speed down the road and listening to music like they were an ordinary couple who didn't live their lives in the public eye.

"What do you say we pull over somewhere and take a walk on the beach?" He yelled to her over the wind and music. She nodded in agreement.

About ten minutes later, they found a secluded spot. After they discarded their shoes, they headed towards the beach hand in hand. It was a perfect day and they walked near the water's edge allowing the waves to drift over their bare feet.

"Edward, what happens when we get back to LA?" He stopped and faced her.

"What do you want to happen?" They both knew that they would not be able to return back to where they were nearly four months ago, but they needed to figure out how to start over.

"I know that we have a long way to go until we are even close to the way we were, but I want to really try. I need to mend my relationships with Elizabeth and Alice and that is going to take a lot of time. I also have not changed my mind about retiring, I still don't know if I want to go back to acting."

Edward saw the pain in her eyes. He knew the road to recovery was still long. Alice understood that Edward was not himself without Bella, and he knew that she would work at trusting Bella again. He hoped that Elizabeth would eventually welcome Bella back into her life and that they would mend their relationship, but that was going to take much longer.

He also worried how the public would scrutinize their relationship. During the first few weeks after news of the affair broke, he found that there were a small fan base that sided with Bella and were quite loyal to her, while there was a larger fan base that sided with Edward and were very cruel to Bella. He had firsthand experience with the latter group of fans when he was promoting his last movie in NYC. While he was happily signing autographs outside his hotel the day of the premiere, there was a fan that started calling Bella names. It angered him so deeply because she was still the woman that he loved very much. He always appreciated his fans, but he would not tolerate that. He politely handed the pen he was using to Alice and left without signing any more autographs.

"I think that we need to live separately and lay low for awhile," Edward gauged her reaction and she nodded. "Let's take the next few months and try to figure out the best way for us to repair our relationship without worrying about anyone else." He pulled her to his side as they continued to walk down the beach. "It's not going to be easy, but I think we can get through it."

"What about the premiere and the interviews in December?"

"We tell the studio that we will walk the red carpet together and do our interviews like it was originally planned," he suddenly stopped and looked down at her. "By the way, where are you living now?"

"I bought a small house in Malibu on the beach," he started laughing. "What's so funny?"

"I was thinking of selling the house and moving to Malibu," her face fell and she stopped walking.

"You are going to sell the house?" She couldn't believe he would sell that house, he loved the house since the first day he saw it.

Sadness washed over his face and Bella took his hand and he looked into her eyes, "I couldn't live there without you, Bella. It represented what we had and our future that I thought I had lost."

She pulled him into her arms, "Edward, we can have that again, I know it." It was funny to her that a house represented so much. She felt if he had sold their home that he had given up on them forever. "Please wait before you give it up."

He nodded against her shoulder, "Only if you promise me that one day you will come back."

She pulled back and pressing her lips to his, she whispered, "I promise."

They spent the next week getting reacquainted and repairing their relationship. Every day they felt their bond growing stronger and their love becoming deeper. Edward was remembering when his parents came to London, his father and him went to the hotel pub for a beer. His father was not as emotional as his mother, and he brought a different perspective to the table. He told Edward that if he and Bella could get past this, their relationship would be stronger. When he said that, Edward had trouble believing that would ever be the case.

Now, after one week, he finally understood. He and Bella were so much closer and their love was now on another level. For the first time it was just them, no agents, fans, family, friends, or studios, just Edward and Bella.

There were a few problems with their reunion first being neither one of them could phantom living apart again like they had discussed. He had fallen back into the habit of waking up tangled in her and she felt the same way. They decided that they would live separately until the movie premiered giving them time to talk to their families and friends. Edward knew it would be difficult, but they had been through much worse.

The next problem weighted heavily on Edward's mind. With being out of the spotlight, they were able to relax and they were much more affectionate and comfortable. Because of this, Bella was even surer that she wanted to retire from acting. She wanted to focus on Edward and their future. She had always had aspirations to be a writer, and she wanted to take a shot at it. Money wasn't an issue for her. She had been a child actor and her mom had invested her money well. Edward's problem was that he was so scared she was giving up her career for him and she would someday resent him for it.

One night while Bella was making a roast, Edward decided to check his emails. He had only communicated with Alice and Tanya through text messages and knew that his email was probably getting pretty full. He set his laptop up in the kitchen so he could keep Bella company.

He had over two hundred emails, half of which were spam and the other third dirty emails from Emmett. He really needed to block him. The others were from Elizabeth, Jasper, Alice, Tanya, and his parents. He groaned at how long it was going to take to get through them all. He noticed the subject heading in Alice's last email and laughed.

_**October 22**__**nd**__** Stop having sex & read me now!**_

Opening it up, he saw it was really long, he guessed he missed a lot of her emails and so she compiled them all into one.

_ Hi, Edward! It's me, Alice, I am from the land of the living, a land you recently defected from! Haha! I gather you and Bella are having a productive trip ;0) We all miss you! Elizabeth came home last night with questions out the ass. She assumed you were with Tanya in Hawaii seeing as you are at her house. Long story short, she has been drilling me about your vacation and you better call her, you know I cannot lie to her for long. Don't be nervous, she may surprise you!_

_ Emmett moved in with Julia! Can you believe it? He put in to relocate to LA permanently. Hell really has frozen over! At least you have the house to yourself, still want to sell? Speaking of which, the property that you liked in Park Slope is Tanyailable and your real estate agent wanted me to ask you if you were still interested. Brooklyn, Edward? Really? (NOTE: yes I am being sarcastic) _

_ Anyways, the premiere for the movie is slated for December 12__th__ in LA and December 18__th__ in NYC. It will be released nationwide on Christmas Eve. I have a list of the European and Asian premieres for January and February, we will discuss which ones, if any, that you will be attending. The week after you come back, your schedule is full, I have five magazines lined that want you and Bella for the cover. They will be on the December newsstands in time for the movie release. You will need a haircut, I can only imagine the werewolf look you are sporting now. _

_ I spoke with Bella's agent, Mike, and he said that she released her publicist and assistant. She must be dead serious about retiring I guess? Anyhow, I went ahead and told the magazines that I would make sure that she received the schedules. I also told Mike if he needed anything, to let me know. I hope I am not overstepping, but I figured since it is the same schedule as yours, it just made sense._

_ I hope that you two are working through everything. I assume you are given your silence. I will see you a week from Thursday (November 1__st__), Sam and I will pick you up at the airport. I know that Bella is returning the day before you, so let me know if she needs the car service. _

_ I love you and miss you! My life is so boring and drab without you around! Please give Bella my best! Love, Alice_

He could not hide the smile on his face. Alice was the greatest friend and he knew that she was accepting Bella back into his life. "What is that smile for?" Bella leaned over the kitchen to brush his hair out of his eyes. He pushed the computer towards her to let her read the email from Alice. He knew that it was important for him to have her and Elizabeth's support, so he wanted her to see the effort that Alice was making.

As she read the email she smiled and her eyes filled with tears, her face registering an expression of hope. "Please tell her thank you so much and I appreciate her helping me out," she leaned over and kissed him before going back to the stove.

He spent the next hour reading and replying to emails and checking his name on Google for any new stories. He really had to stop doing that, it was a habit he started four months ago and it was time to stop. By the time he shut down his laptop, Bella had dinner on the table and was opening a bottle of wine. This domestic atmosphere was another new thing for them. When they lived in LA they went out a lot and rarely stayed in like they have been.

After they finished dinner Bella told Edward to go relax while she cleaned up the kitchen. He took his wine glass and went to walk into the living room when he stopped and looked at the piano. He set his glass back on the table and walked over to it. He had not played in months, and his fingers were itching to play something. The piano was very intimate for him, because when he played he let his guard down and bared his soul in the music. He sat down on the bench and started to play one of his compositions. He closed his eyes and let the music flow through him. It felt amazing to play again. He played for a long time, completely lost in the music and when he finally stopped, he opened his eyes and found Bella on the bench next to him with tears in her eyes.

She places her hand on his as it still hovered over the keys, "That was beautiful, Edward. I have missed hearing you play."

"Me, too. I have not played in months," he turned his palm to lace his fingers through hers. "I guess I just needed my inspiration back," he brought her hand up to his lips as she smiled.

They decided put in a movie and relax in the living room. After about an hour, Bella was sleeping with her head in Edward's lap. He was brushing the hair off her face and looking down at her napping contently. Her left hand was resting on his knee and as his eyes fell upon it, he imagined her engagement ring back on her hand along with a wedding ring and being with her for the rest of his life, he realized that his old dream was his new dream and he would do anything to get there again.

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Three**

Edward and Bella had a wonderful trip to Hawaii and spent the remainder of the trip discussing the time they were apart and the affair. They talked in great detail about what it was going to be like when everyone found out they were together again. Edward realized that Bella was very nervous about what the public and media were going to do to her when she finally came out of hiding. She told him how she watched a lot of videos online when he promoted his last film, and she heard what some of the fans were yelling at him about her. She felt incredibly bad for putting in those horrible situations, he was a lot stronger than she was.

There was nothing Edward could say that would make her feel better on the topic and to be honest, he really had no idea how they would react. They were very unpredictable. What Bella failed to see was that he had a lot of fans yelling at him to take her back and forgive her, as well.

The tabloids were another story. Edward had become so enraged with them over the past four months and had zero tolerance for them. He told Alice in London, after he saw another article that was all bullshit that he did not want to see them anymore. He quit reading them that day. He refused to speak to them and would not buy them, purchasing them and reading them only encouraged their crap. When they find out that Bella and Edward were together, the circus was only going to start all over again.

Bella left Hawaii the day before him very early. He took her to the airport and parked in the lot to not draw attention. When they kissed goodbye, he had a hard time letting her go even though he was going to see her in twenty-four hours. Living apart was definitely not going to last long for them. He returned to the house to pack and checked his emails. That night, he could not sleep for the life of him. He tossed and turned and his body searched for hers in the darkness. At three in the morning, he heard his phone buzz with a text message. He reached over to pull the message up.

_**I cannot sleep, I miss you too much. Promise me that when you get home we will never have to sleep apart again. I love you xxxooo B**_

He smiled at the fact that she was going through the same thing as him right now.

_**I promise, never again. I love you and miss you, too. xxxooo E**_

After he sent her the message, he was finally able to relax enough to fall asleep for a few hours before he had to board his plane and return to her.

Edward was greeted by Sam at the terminal when he returned home. He was tanned and happy. Sam laughed at him when he saw the goofy, big ass smile on his face. He had figured out that Edward and Bella were together on his own. He knew Edward would never go to Hawaii on his own like that and started to put the pieces together. "Hey, Sam! How are you doing?" Edward shook his hand and gave him a half hug.

He laughed at Edward, "I am good, obviously not as good as you, but I am good," damn he had never seen him smile that big. "There are some paps outside, it's just the regular crew who are always camped out here."

They walked down to baggage claim and he was spotted right away. Edward smiled and signed a few autographs while they waited for his bags on the carousal. Sam continued to stay close and helped him grab his bag. "So, Hawaii was good to you Edward?" He nodded at Sam. "Good. I hope that everything works out for you," he leaned in closer to Edward and whispered, "and Bella, too." Edward looked up at Sam surprised and he winked at him.

"How did you know?"

"Edward, man, I have worked for you for too long not to know what was up." They walked outside and Alice was standing by her passenger door.

She ran into his arms, "Edward! I have missed you so much!" She pulled back to look at him, "You look amazing! Look at that tan! And you are smiling!" She was ecstatic to see her best friend looking so wonderful.

Sam placed Edward's bags in the car and said his good-byes, he had driven himself. They were not anticipating any issues, but he was glad to come and make sure Edward got out of the airport safe.

Once inside the car and on the road, Alice looked over at Edward and smiled at him. "You really look great. Almost as good as Bella." Edward looked over at her confused.

"Wait, how do you know what Bella looks like?"

"Who do you think picked her up from the airport yesterday?" Edward smiled lovingly at his best friend.

"Thank you, Alice. It means everything to me that you would do that."

"Hey, don't get mushy on me, I have my reasons. I actually wanted to have a talk with her." Edward looked worried.

"Don't worry, I just wanted to clear the air and talk about things. She has changed, Edward. Maybe this whole retirement thing is not a bad thing."

"I know, I just don't want her to ever resent me and give up something she loves." She glanced at Edward. She knew the deal; he was afraid if she resented him she might turn around and hurt him again.

"Stop thinking what you are thinking," Edward looked at her hating how well she knew him. "She is not giving this up for you, she is doing it for herself, Edward. Did you ever stop to think that what happened was because she was not happy with herself, and that acting was the reason she was unhappy?"

"No, I never did. You think that might be it?" Alice nodded.

"Edward, just be happy and start your new life together, okay?" He nodded in agreement.

"So, I gathered from her last email that I have a lot to talk about with Elizabeth. Does she know?"

"I think she suspects something. I am sure she will be over tonight. By the way, Emmett is in New York for the next few weeks tying loose ends up there before he moves here. Julia went with him," Edward quirked his eyebrow at her.

"Wow, it really is serious. Good for him!"

"Oh, and Edward, he knows where you were. He heard me and Tanya talking about it at my house the other day. Just a warning. He was not that happy about it." Edward sighed; he knew this wasn't going to be easy.

"Duly noted. I will make sure I prepare myself for that conversation."

Elizabeth turned down Edward's street and he could see the usual crowd gathered at the gate. "Nice to see some things never change," Elizabeth laughed at him as she keyed in the code to the gate. As she pulled up to the front of the house, it was the first time he was happy to be home in four months.

Dragging his luggage out of the car, he walked up the stairs and into his house. As he set his luggage down at the end of the staircase, he was hit with a body flying into his arms. He immediately smelled strawberries and knew it was Bella.

"What are you doing here?" He picked her up and swung her around as her and Alice laughed.

"Alice and I wanted to surprise you, so did we?" He nodded his head and kissed her on the lips.

Alice stood by the door watching the two interact. There was something different about them this time, in a good way. She saw it when she picked Bella up at the airport yesterday. She looked relaxed, tanned, and her smile was blinding. After they left the airport, Alice took Bella home to Malibu where they spent four hours talking about everything. She knew that Bella was genuine in everything she told her. She was different now. It was as if something bad had to happen to her to realize she needed to choose a different path. Bella told Alice about her desire to write and that she wanted to spend the rest of her life with Edward.

She understood she had a long way to go to prove herself to everyone, but she was dedicated to proving that she was sorry for what she did and she would never hurt Edward again. Alice just hoped that Elizabeth would give her a chance.

Alice heard a car pull up through the gate and opened the front door only to see Elizabeth pulling up to the house, "Edward, Elizabeth is here!" She looked over to the two and saw Bella pale and Edward held her hand tightly. "Okay, guys, calm down. It will be fine."

Elizabeth started up the front stairs, "Hey, El! Is he back? I have not seen my little brother in over a month!" She pushed past Alice and froze in the doorway. "Am I hallucinating?"

"Hey, sis," he moved forward to hug her and she held her hand up.

"Wait a minute. You were with her in Hawaii, weren't you?" She looked between all three people pointed at Alice, "You knew and didn't tell me?"

Before Alice could answer her, Edward stood between Alice and Elizabeth, "Elizabeth, this is not her fault. I asked her not to say anything. I needed to work things out with Bella and I did not want to worry or upset you while you were on your book tour. I didn't tell you when you came back because I wanted to talk to you in person."

"Are you together again?" Edward nodded and Elizabeth looked over at Bella, "Okay then, I would like to speak to Bella. Alone."

Edward shook his head in protest as Bella came forward and touched his arm, "It's okay, Edward. I will be fine, go." He looked at Elizabeth and gave her a warning glance. She refused to acknowledge him and he stared her down. She would not give in.

"Are you sure, Bella?" She nodded, "Call me if you need me, I will not be far," he and Alice left to go outside on the patio.

As he walked past Elizabeth he whispered in her ear, "Please be nice," she rolled her eyes and waved him off.

Elizabeth sat down on the couch and pointed to the seat next to her for Bella to sit. "I have spent the last four months trying to figure out what to say to you if I could talk to you face to face," Bella sat quietly looking at Elizabeth. "I cannot put into words how badly you hurt Edward. He was devastated. I saw my happy go lucky brother turn into someone who lost all faith. He did not even have the courtesy to hurt in private, his name and face was plastered on every tabloid in the world. He had to face the public and he was questioned about your infidelity while you hid away. I don't think you have even done any interviews since before the affair. Am I right?" Bella nodded, she wanted to let Elizabeth finish so she could have her say.

"So, what I want to know from you Bella is how you plan to convince me that you would never do this to my brother again? "

"Elizabeth, I am sorry for everything that happened. I saw what this did to Edward, and it killed me. That is why I disappeared. I was mad at myself for hurting the one person I love most in this world. There was no excuse for what I did. I was wrong and I made a horrible decision, but I cannot take it back." Bella looked down at her hands. "Losing Edward was the worst thing that has happened, or could ever happen to me. I will never hurt him again, I love him more than anything. I know that I cannot say it enough to convince you, but it's the truth. I just want the chance to prove it."

Elizabeth looked up at Bella, she had changed. She could see it in her eyes and hear it in her words. It was going to be so hard to trust her with Edward's heart again, but if it was what Edward wanted and made him happy, did she really have a choice? She once told her brother that she would support him and stand by him in any decision he made. Now was the time for her to give him that.

"Please don't hurt him again, Bella. I don't think he would recover from it again," Elizabeth's eyes brimmed with tears.

"I promise. I don't think I would ever recover if I lost him again." Before anything else could be said, Elizabeth saw Edward coming into the room.

"Everything okay in here?" Elizabeth and Bella nodded.

Elizabeth wiped her eyes, "Bella, could you give Edward and I a minute?" Bella nodded and stood up to go find Alice as Edward touched her hand as she passed him and smile. "I am sorry for reacting the way I did, Edward."

Edward sat down next to her, "That's okay, we caught you off-guard. I didn't mean to hide this from you, it wasn't fair to do to you after the way you have stood by me."

"No, Edward, I understand. She's changed, I can tell. But, it's still going to take me time to trust her with your heart again," Edward nodded. "Are you happy?"

He had the smile on his face that she had not seen in months, "Yes, very."

Elizabeth smiled back, "Good. That's all I want for you, Edward," she leaned in and hugged him, "I love you."

Edward squeezed her tightly to him, "I love you, too. And thank you for giving her a second chance, it means everything to me."

They walked out to the patio where Bella and Alice sat nervously waiting for them to return. When Edward came out, Bella stood to walk towards him and he pulled her into his arms, kissing the top of her head.

Elizabeth watched the two and saw the smile that was permanently plastered on Edward's face and could not help but smile herself. This was the love that he had always wanted and he has gone through Hell and back to get it. "Well, I have to get home to Jack. El, you ready to go?" Alice nodded at Elizabeth, both women sensed that the couple wanted to be alone.

Bella and Edward walked them to the door and waved to them as they each got in the cars. When they walked back into the living room, Bella looked around the house that she once shared with Edward. She loved this house and missed being here with Edward. Now she wanted this house to become their home. She wanted to take a piece of their time in Hawaii and bring that here.

Edward pulled her close to him and she buried her head in his chest smelling the scent that was just him. "What are you thinking about, Bella?"

"I am thinking about how much I have missed being here." He breathed in her hair and moved it over her shoulder to kiss her neck.

"I missed you being here, too." She brought her face up to his and she pressed her lips to his and he ran his tongue over her bottom lip. "I missed you more upstairs in our bed," he murmured into her mouth. She opened her mouth inviting him in, losing herself to him. She would go anywhere for him and do anything for him, and the beauty of it, was he would do the same thing for her.

He broke away from her abruptly, earning him a questionable look from Bella. He grinned at her and bent down and swooped her up into his arms and started his descent upstairs, where they remained until the next morning.

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Four**

Edward woke up the next morning to his phone ringing insistently. He had chosen to ignore it ten minutes ago, but whoever it was would not stop. He tore himself away from Bella, who moaned in disappointment, as he climbed out of bed to find his phone which was somewhere in his jeans pocket thrown on the floor.

Not even bothering to look at the screen, "Hello?"

"Edward! You are back! Did I wake you?" He smiled at the sound of Tanya's voice. He stepped out of the room, to allow Bella to sleep, taking his jeans with him to put on.

"Tanya! Yes I am back, and yes, you woke me, but you are totally forgiven," she laughed into the phone. "So how are you?"

"Oh no, how are _you_?" Edward made his way to the kitchen to make coffee.

"I am really good, but I think you already knew that."

"And, how is Bella?" he smiled at her name.

"Also very good." Bella laughed at his tone. He sounded like a truly happy man. "So, how is the screenplay coming along? I read the pages you sent to my email last week and they looked great!'

"Thanks, it is coming along wonderfully. In fact, we are already ahead of schedule and the studio wants to get together to go over start dates. I guess we are doing that on Monday." There has always been huge interest in Hollywood over Tanya's work, so they had no problem finding investors and the studio found no reason not to speed up production.

"Yep, saw it in my schedule. So, we need to do lunch or something soon. Tomorrow maybe?" He heard Bella stirring upstairs.

"Sounds good! Text me a time and place later!"

"Okay, and Tanya, thank you for helping me get my life back."

"No thank you needed. I just gave you a push! See you tomorrow!"

"Okay, bye!" He looked up to see Bella coming down the stairs wearing his shirt from the day before. "Good morning, sorry if the phone woke you."

She walked over to him and kissed him good morning. He picked her up and sat her on the kitchen counter. She deepened the kiss and opened her legs for him to stand between. He let his hands wander up under the t-shirt tracing his thumbs slowly over her breasts causing her to moan. "I woke up and you weren't there, I hate that."

He continued to kiss her neck as his hands massaged her breasts paying close attention to her nipples. "Well, if that generates this kind of response from you, I will have to start setting the alarm to wake up before you." She wrapped her legs around his waist pulling him towards her. He felt the heat from between her legs and was surprised to feel that she was completely naked under his shirt. "What's this?" He dragged his finger between her folds as she hissed in his ear.

Her hand snaked between them and to his unbuttoned jeans. She slowly dragged the zipper down and dipped her hand inside; he too was naked under his jeans. "What's this?" she threw back at him as she took him in her hand. He threw his head back granting her access to his long neck and when she ran her tongue along it, his eyes rolled to the back of his head.

Edward had always been passionate about Bella, as she was with him, but there was newness to their relationship that had been missing before. They constantly had to have each other. In Hawaii they had made love on every inch of the house and the property. Before, they always waited until they were in a bed. So he stood before her in his kitchen and all he could think about was how he wanted to throw her onto the floor and make love to her. And that is exactly what he did, for two hours.

As they lay on the kitchen floor in post coital bliss, they realized just how many people had the code to the gate and keys to the house and decided it would be best to go upstairs and shower. Bella planned on showing Edward her new house.

"Hey, how did you get in the house without the paps outside seeing you?" she was putting on her shoes when he realized they had to get past everyone, and even then, they risked being followed.

"Oh, Alice had me lay down in the hatch on the floor and then she covered me with a blanket," he laughed at the image of Bella laying in what was basically a trunk with a blanket thrown over her. "Hey, don't laugh, it worked!"

"Well, then let's take my truck. The windows to the backseat are well tinted, so I think we should be okay. I will drive around a bit until we are in the clear, sound good?" She nodded and they headed out to the garage.

He was bringing a bag with him figuring once he got there, he would stay for the weekend. Luckily, she had a garage for him to park in so his truck would be well hidden.

Edward loved the beach house. It was relaxing to have the ocean outside to lull you to sleep at night, it reminded him of Hawaii. The next day he was having lunch with Tanya and Bella had plans with her mom. She wanted to let her know what was going on.

He had a wonderful lunch with Tanya and she could not help notice the look of pure happiness on his face. Gone were his sad eyes and half smile. His eyes sparked again and his smile lit up his face. He was tanned and just happy.

Edward also learned that Tanya had become somewhat smitten with the screenwriter, John Westfield, that the studio had her working with. She even blushed when she talked about him. Apparently, LA was really beginning to grow on Tanya. She looked more beautiful than ever and sounded happy and content.

After returning from lunch on Saturday, he and Bella stayed in the rest of the weekend. They learned pretty quickly that they were not going to last living apart for another six weeks. They decided that weekdays would be spent at his house and weekends would be spent at her house until after the premiere.

The two both had meetings to go to on Monday, and then the rest of the week they had photo shoots every day. Bella hired Alice part-time to help her with her schedule and to screen calls and emails. They parted ways and he left for the studio.

He arrived fairly early and was seated in the conference room when Aro came in. "Hey, Edward," he shook his hand, "Looks like that vacation you took did you a lot of good."

"Yes, it was wonderful to get away and relax."

They chatted about the new screenplay when he saw Bella walk in. "What are you doing here? I thought this was a meeting about _The Journey_?"

"It is," Aro said as he closed the door leaving the three of them in private. "Bella has accepted the lead role as her last before officially retiring," Edward was shocked, she never let on that she was going to accept. Bella smiled at Edward, happy she was able to surprise him like this.

With Edward still in shock and speechless, they all took a seat as Aro looked between the two of them. "Now, tell me. What should I be thinking when two of my actors, who are estranged, both disappear for three weeks, and both return so tanned and happy. I mean last time I saw you both, no offense, but you both looked like hell. So, who is going to fill me in?" Edward and Bella looked at each other shrugging their shoulders. "Okay, well someone better speak."

Edward cleared his throat and looked at Bella who nodded her permission to continue. "Well, we were hoping to keep it under wraps until the after the premiere. But, yes we are together."

Aro smiled and clapped his approval, "I knew it! I knew that you would find your way back to each other," he stood and hugged both of them. "Don't worry, your secret is safe with me, I know you probably still have a lot to work out and you deserve your privacy," they both thanked him. He walked over and opened the door. Ten minutes later they were joined by Tanya, the director, and the other screenwriter.

They agreed on a start date in the late spring/early summer pending the status of the screenplay. They would be doing an open casting call for the remaining cast, and we would be filming in Hawaii, bringing huge smiles to Edward and Bella's faces.

After the meeting, Tanya asked Bella to lunch to 'get the girl's side' of the trip to Hawaii and Edward went to see Jasper to talk about his new contract and to get lunch.

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Five**

Over the next six weeks, Edward and Bella settled into their new pattern quite nicely. Most evenings, they had everyone over the house for dinner or to watch movies. Edward had started construction on the basement to turn it into a home theater complete with a movie screen and theater seating. He figured since they entertained more, he wanted to have a comfortable place to relax and screen movies. In an interesting turn of events, Tanya bought Bella's beach house and would be moving in once Bella moved permanently back to Edward's. Apparently, Tanya fell in love with both California and the screenplay writer.

Elizabeth and Bella's relationship improved, in fact they actually talked a lot more and Elizabeth was opening up more to her. The only person who was still hesitant was Emmett. When he returned from NYC, he ignored Bella at dinner and when he did speak to her he was rude. Since then, it was much better, considering Elizabeth and Alice tore him a new one for his behavior. He hoped that time would mend their relationship.

Edward and Bella somehow survived the photo shoots and interviews deterring questions about whether they were together or not. Alice thought that the reporters and photographers were idiots if they believed that there was nothing going on between them because it was blatantly obvious.

Before they knew it, the day of their movie premiere was upon them. Everyone was getting ready at Edward's, and today was the day that they were going to tell Rosalie they were back together.

Edward was in the kitchen when she arrived. Tanya, Bella, and Alice were all upstairs getting their hair and make-up tended to and Jasper was in the den making a few phone calls. Elizabeth and Jack were out of town for a few days and would not be attending. Edward had his tux pants and shirt on when she flew into the house and into the kitchen. "Edward, why the fuck are there so many cars out front? What is going on? I told you no partying until after the damn premiere!" Edward shook his head and laughed at her. When she saw him, she stopped dead in her tracks. She had not seen him since before he left for Hawaii, and she was stunned. He looked fantastic. His hair was shorter and little more tamed, he was tanned, he put some much needed weight back on, but it was his smile that caught her attention. "Well, look at you, handsome! You got laid, didn't you? Good for you! Way to stick it to Bella tonight looking all hot."

"Well, it is so nice to see you, too Rosalie. And yes, as a matter of fact I did get laid," he heard a snicker behind him and saw Alice, Jasper, and Tanya in the kitchen listening to the conversation.

"Who is she? She better now be some groupie or something. I am not dealing with that shit," she went to the fridge to grab a bottle of water. "I am being serious Edward. I need to know details on her so I can run a check. God knows what she might be after, am I the only one who thinks about that shit? I mean why do you pay me when you refuse to listen to me and go off and do whatever you want without thinking?"

Bella could not have picked a more perfect time to walk in the room if she tried. While Rosalie was snooping through the fridge, Bella came and stood next to Edward. She was stunning in a floor length, navy blue strapless gown with her hair flowing in big curls around her face. "Hi, Rosalie."

Rosalie froze and turned around to see Bella standing with Edward's arms around her waist. "You are kidding me? You wait until now to tell me that you two are back together? We have a premiere in one hour! This is exactly what I am talking about with you, Edward! I am your publicist, I need to know what the fuck you are doing!" Rosalie looked as though she was going to stroke out.

Alice could not help herself, "Rosalie, maybe you need to take a Xanax," Edward busted out laughing but quickly shut his mouth when Rosalie shot him a death glare. Edward swore he saw Jasper cover up his own crotch.

"Wonderful, I am dealing with a bunch of assholes tonight," she pointed at Edward. "You, finish getting dressed, the limos will be here soon. I will speak to both of you in the limo on the way there."

The studio told the press that Bella and Edward would be walking the red carpet together. There was speculation that they were back together, but the studio played it off that the two reached a professional understanding in fulfillment of their contractual obligations. It was a miracle that they were able to get away with being together for this long, but it had been worth it.

The limos arrived and everyone piled in. Edward and Bella listened to Rosalie go on and on about how you should never leave your publicist in the dark and wanted to know how they were going to walk the red carpet together, to which Edward replied, "Next to each other." That shut her up the remainder of the trip. She shot Jasper a dirty look for laughing effectively scaring the shit out of him again.

About half a block away, the limo pulled over to let Alice, Rosalie, Jasper, and Tanya out. Since the premiere was so big, they did not want to exit at the red carpet. They would be meeting up with Sam who would be escorting them. The limo driver let them know that their ETA was twelve minutes.

Edward took Bella's hand in his, "Are you nervous?"

"A little. How are we going to walk the red carpet?" He thought for a moment and reached into his tux pocket.

"This is how we are going to do it," he opened his hand to reveal her engagement ring.

She looked into his eyes and knew what he was asking. Her eyes filled with tears knowing that she finally had the future she dreamed about in front of her again. "How did you find it?"

"You mom told me she had it in her safe. No one else knows but her that I have it. I want to marry you, Bella. It has been my dream from the day I first met you and I want our life together to start now." She felt the tears falling down her face.

She held her hand out to him and he slipped her ring back on to where it has always belonged and kissed her. They were interrupted by the driver telling them over the speaker that they would be pulling up in two minutes.

Bella dried her eyes and fixed her makeup. "I don't want to hide us anymore," she took his hand and he smiled.

"Then we won't," he pulled her hand to his lips.

The limo came to a stop and few minute later the door opened and Sam greeted them both with a smile. Edward was first to step out of the limo and saw Alice, Tanya, and Rosalie standing off to the side. Jasper had already gone inside. He waved to the crowd and held his hand out for Bella. When she stepped out of the car, her first appearance in nearly six months, she was suddenly very nervous. Edward held her hand tightly and whispered to her, "It's just you and me," it was something he always said in crowds to calm her down.

Surprisingly, when the crowd saw them holding hands, they went insane and there was a round of applause from them. The fact was, people liked the happy ending and they felt if Edward could forgive her, they all could. Edward was sure that there were some people who thought he should not have forgiven her, but those people were not in the crowd tonight. Alice and Tanya were the first ones to see the diamond on Bella's finger and they both smiled and winked at Edward. Rosalie, on the other hand started bitching about always being the last to know.

They eventually broke apart to sign autographs and that is when everyone saw the ring back on Bella's hand. The press line was overwhelming with questions being asked about when they got back together and when they would be getting married. It seemed that all was right with their world, and the journey it took to get back to this place made them appreciate it all the more.

The premiere had been a success and the audience and critics were already giving it positive reviews. The after party was buzzing with excitement not only for the success of the film, but because Bella and Edward had found happiness again.

As Bella and Tanya began discussing the new movie, Edward excused himself to go back up to the bar. As he approached the bar, Aro stopped to talk to Edward. "I see congratulations are in order again." He had noticed Bella's ring in the press line.

"Thanks, Aro. And thank you for keeping it under wraps."

"No problem. I need to see you in the studio on Monday. Remember the film we talked about over the summer about the two soldiers that were in Iraq together?" Edward had loved the script, but the funding was still in limbo. "Well, it's a go. It would start right after _The Journey_. It would be your last film for the studio, you still interested?"

Edward nodded, "Very much so. Just send Alice a message to set up the meeting."

Aro shook his hand, "Sounds good. Now go enjoy your evening, you have a lot to celebrate."

Edward finally made his way to the bar and ordered a beer for him and a white wine for Bella. As the bartender filled his order, he turned to look around the room at the party. He could not help thinking that all was right in his world and that he was happier than he had ever been. His eyes were searching the room for Bella. Jasper and Alice were speaking to some people from his agency. Tanya was now speaking with Aro, and Bella was nowhere in his sights.

The bartender handed him his drinks and he headed over to Tanya. "Have you seen Bella?"

She nodded, "She was heading to the ladies room about five minutes ago. I am sure she will be right back, the lines were long."

They chatted for another five minutes, and still no Bella. He excused himself and began to walk around the room. Edward suddenly felt like something was off and that there was something wrong. At that moment, he saw Bella walking from the bathrooms visibly upset. She spotted him and ran to his side. "Bella, what happened?" He looked down at her arm and saw a large red mark.

"He won't leave me alone, he grabbed me when I walked out of the ladies room…." He stopped her and grabbed her face with both hands making her look directly at him.

"Who grabbed you?" He looked around the room towards the hall leading to the restrooms. There were hundreds of people walking around and he searched the crowd looking for Sam. Tanya hurried to their side when she saw how upset Bella was.

"Bella, what's wrong?" She saw the large mark on her arm and inspected it. Sam came over after seeing Edward's face.

"What happened, Bella? Who did this?" Sam looked at Edward who was still scanning the room.

Before his name fell from Bella's lips, Edward saw him. He was hard to miss, taller and more built than Edward, with blonde hair and bright blue eyes, he was strikingly handsome, and he knew it. He looked drunk and he was prowling around the room like he was on the hunt. He physically disgusted Edward. Tanya and Sam followed his eyes and knew that is exactly who had upset Bella. He finally looked up and smirked as he caught Edward's eye causing a low growl in Edward's throat, "James Jackson."

Before anyone could register exactly what was happening, Edward was off heading towards James. Sam acted the fastest and in two strides he was by Edward's side grabbing his arm. "Edward, wait! You cannot start a fight with him here. The place is crawling with press," he felt Edward's arm relax under his hold and released him. "Let me take care of this, go check on Bella."

Edward backed away never breaking eye contact with James, who had a cocky ass grin plastered on his face. He felt a hand on his arm and turned to see Alice. "What happened? Tanya told me to come get you, she took Bella to the lounge." Alice was worried, Edward was visibly shaken.

"James Jackson is what happened," Alice's eyes grew wide and behind Edward she saw the commotion. Sam was pulling James by his arm towards the door with two other men from security.

"What is he doing here? I mean why would he come here?" Alice knew that James was a publicity whore, but he had a lot of nerve to come here of all places.

Rosalie saw what was going on and hurried over. "What the fuck is James fucking Jackson doing here? Where is Bella?" Edward snapped himself out of his anger induced haze and ran to the lounge with Rosalie and Alice on his trail.

When he opened the door, Tanya was sitting next to Bella with her arm around her. She had given her a glass of water and she was still crying softly. Edward walked over to her and kneeled in front of her. The mark on her arm was already starting to bruise and at a closer glance, Edward could see the outline of a hand on it. Bella lifted her eyes to meet Edward's and he saw fear and shame there.

He reached up and wiped her tears away with the pads of his thumbs, "Bella, are you okay? What happened?" Her lips were trembling.

The door opened and Sam came inside, "He's gone. Bella you need to tell me what happened. Security has him outside, do you want to press charges?" Bella began to violently shake her head.

"No! I don't want a bigger scene, just let him go!" Edward stood up to sit next to her and pulled her close. Edward looked between Tanya and Alice.

Sensing he wanted to be alone with Bella, Alice stepped in, "Hey, Edward. We will wait for you out in the hall, okay?" He nodded in thanks.

When Sam, Tanya, and Alice left the lounge, Edward held Bella as he tried to calm her down. When he saw James Jackson coming out of the hallway where Bella came out of, a million different things ran through his mind. He and Bella had talked about the affair in great lengths, but actually seeing 'the other man' in the flesh provoked his jealous temper. He was thankful that Sam stepped in before he did something really stupid.

It was easy to avoid James because he and Edward did not run with the same crowd. Edward surrounded himself with family and close friends that he had known and trusted for years. He wasn't one to spend all his time in bars, and only went to them with friends to relax and hang out. When he met Bella, he was more content doing things with her. They had common interests and they did everything together. Edward was also very modest with his money. He knew that his career could end in a minute and made sure he invested in his future.

James surrounded himself with groupies and celebrities that loved the party scene. His movies did poorly and he was arrogant and labeled difficult to work with. He blew his money on women, cars, clothes, and God only knows what else. It was hard for Edward to stomach that this was the man that Bella cheated on him with. He had hoped to avoid James at all costs, and that was not going to happen. He still cannot believe that someone let him in here tonight.

"Bella, you need to tell me exactly what happened," he looked at her arm, "What did he do to you?" He was trying to be patient with her, but he needed to know what happened.

She wiped her hand over her face and took a shaky breath, "I was coming out of the ladies room and he was waiting for me in the hallway. I tried to avoid him, but he stood in my way. I turned and went down the other hallway, not knowing it was a dead end," she looked at Edward trying to gauge his reaction. She knew this had to be very difficult for him. "He followed me, yelling my name the entire time. When I got to the end of the hall, I went to go back and he grabbed my hand and pinned me to the wall," Edward's face was red and his breathing was heavy. "I tried to pull away, but he kept yanking on my arm. He told me that he still wanted me and that he wanted me to leave with him," Edward jumped up and starting pacing the room clenching his fist.

"Have you had any contact with him in the past six months, Bella? I need to know the truth." He really hated to ask her that question, but he needed to know why he would be acting this way.

She shook her head, "The last time I talked to him was the day after the pictures went public. I told him that I never wanted to see him again and that what had happened was a mistake. He called me a few times after that, but I never responded. I just want him to go away, Edward! I finally got you back and I don't want him around reminding me of what happened," she put her head in her hands and cried. "Please believe me, I don't want anything to do with him."

Edward stopped pacing and looked at Bella. The past six weeks with Bella had been wonderful, so much so, that they often forgot that they still had a long way to go in the healing process. There were a lot of things that they still needed to talk about. He walked over to kneel in front of her. He brushed the hair out her eyes and lifted her chin to meet his eyes. She was so scared that he would leave her, not wanting to deal with this. "I believe you, Bella. It is just very hard for me to see him here tonight. It just brought back a lot of memories that I wish I could forget." He leaned in and kissed her, he felt her relax under his lips. "I am more concerned that he hurt you," he murmured against her lips as he lightly ran his fingers over the bruise.

"He heard voices coming and let me go. That is when I finally saw you," he pulled her close to him. "I was so scared, Edward."

"We are going to have to tell someone about this, Bella. James is not a stable person, and I don't want you in that kind of position again." He wanted to file a restraining order, but knew that was impossible. Bella wasn't pressing charges and it only happened once. "At least let me talk to Sam about it. I think he and Ken need to know the situation." She nodded her head in agreement.

"Is it okay if we just go home now?" She was exhausted.

"Sure, let me get everyone and to let them know we are heading out." Edward went back out in the hallway. He stayed out there to talk to Sam, he sent Alice and Tanya back in to sit with her.

Tanya came to sit next to her, "Everything okay, Bella?" She nodded at Tanya.

Alice stood in front of her, "Bella, you should press charges. Look at your arm!" The door burst open and in came Rosalie with Edward and Sam hot on her heels.

"What the fuck did he do to you?" She walked up to Bella and looked at her arm. "We need to call the police! Edward look at her arm!"

"She doesn't want to press charges, Rosalie. Leave it alone," Edward looked sternly at her. She knew what kind out nightmare that would have been tonight if the police were called. A look spread over her face acknowledging to Edward that she understood.

"Fine, I understand, but we are going to need to keep a close eye on him. He is trouble, and he is up to no good. His ass was just dropped from a movie last week because he blew up on the set. He has been kicked out of every bar and restaurant in LA in the past couple months. He is on a downward spiral and the two of you need to stay clear of him." Rosalie was livid that someone had even let him in tonight. James loved the attention he had received from his affair with Bella. He sold his story to the tabloids and would talk to anyone who would listen. Rosalie was afraid that he was trying to get more attention and he was going to use Bella as bait.

The girls helped Bella fix herself up and Edward went to find Jasper to let him know they were leaving. He was with a few people from his agency and had missed all the excitement. On their way to the lounge, Edward filled him in on everything that had happened.

"Shit, Edward. Is she okay? Does she need to have her arm looked at?" He knew James Jackson wasn't all there, but this was crazy.

"It's bruising pretty good, but she doesn't want any more attention. She just wants to go home. I let Sam know what happened, he is going to keep an eye on the situation," Jasper nodded.

They walked into the lounge and the girls were all ready to go. Sam escorted them to their limo, and Bella and Edward forced smiles for the cameras as they left. Once inside, no one said anything. They were tired and upset and all wanted to go home and go to sleep.

When the car arrived at Edward's, everyone went to their respective cars to leave. Rosalie lingered behind, "You guys okay for the junket tomorrow?" They both nodded. "Good, Alice and I will be here in the morning at eight. Get a good night's sleep."

They barely made it upstairs, and took their clothes off, not bothering to put anything to sleep in on. They curled into each other and Edward pulled the blankets up around them. "Edward, I am so sorry about what happened."

Edward pulled her face up to look at him, "Don't be sorry, Bella. I am not going to lie, it hurt to see James again, and it brought back a lot of unwanted memories. But, I love you and want us to work through everything, together. Just promise me that you will tell me if he so much as looks at you across the room. Don't keep it from me." He was trying so hard to be strong and not be distrusting or jealous. James had harassed her tonight, she did not ask for that, but all he could think about was that he was also the man that she had once slept with.

"I promise. I love you, too." She curled tightly around him and they both drifted off to sleep.

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Six**

Edward and Bella woke up early the next morning to prepare for the press junket. Rosalie had arranged for Bella's hair and make-up to be done at the house. When Bella stepped out of the shower, Edward was waiting to check her arm. It had turned a deep purple and was slightly larger than it was last night. "Are you sure that you don't want to have Jack check it out?"

She stood in front of the counter drying herself off as he stepped into the shower. "Edward, I am fine, it is just a bruise. I will just have to wear long sleeves until it goes away." She left the bathroom to get dressed. She chose a long sleeved dark blue blouse and dark jeans. She paired the outfit with a pair of black heels.

As she was making coffee in the kitchen, the front door opened and she heard Alice, "Hello?"

"I'm in here, Alice," Alice walked in down threw her bag on the counter.

"Hey, Bella," she walked over and gave her a hug. "Are you okay?"

She nodded at her, "Yes, just bruised and shaken, but better," Alice could not ignore that Bella was really scared about what transpired last night. "I just feel bad for Edward. I don't want him to have to deal with things like that. It's my fault that James's in our life, and I just don't want Edward to resent me for it."

"Bella, he loves you. You guys are working past this. I mean you have only been talking for six weeks and you just went public last night that you are back together, of course there are going to be more challenges along the way, but you guys will get through it. Just keep talking about it," Alice had witnessed the change in their relationship since they returned from Hawaii. They were stronger and happier, she had no doubt that they would be able to eventually put of this behind them.

"Thanks, Alice. I really appreciate your support." She poured them each a cup of coffee.

Alice accepted the cup from Bella, "So, I see the ring is back on? I thought for sure he would have taken it with him to Hawaii to give you then," Bella looked down at the ring and blushed.

"I am glad he waited until last night, it meant so much to step out of that limo with it on," she looked down at her ring. She had only had it for about three months prior to the break up, but she had missed seeing it on her finger.

All of the sudden, they heard a muffled voice at the door, Alice stood up, "Shit, its Rosalie. She is already bitching, not a good sign," Bella laughed and went to open the front door where Rosalie stood with her arms loaded with bags.

"About fucking time someone helped me," she dropped the bags in the doorway. "More shit for Edward, I have Gucci samples for him this time. They are on my ass for him to do a campaign and they send all the shit to my office," she walked into the kitchen to get some coffee just as the make-up person arrived. "Alice, I am giving people your address so you can deal with all the crap he gets. The other day some hair product company called Bedhead or some shit like that, sent me three cases of products." Alice just shook her head and showed the make-up person/hair where to set up.

While Bella had her hair and make-up done, Rosalie, Alice, and her went over the interview schedule. Rosalie had sent emails to everyone this morning because the engagement was out. She had requested that the affair and James Jackson be off limits. Alice knew the routine, Rosalie handled the reporters and Alice would take care of Edward and Bella.

Rosalie looked in the doorway, "No way in hell! Get your ass back in your room and change!" Everyone turned to see Edward in the doorway. He looked down at his jeans and t-shirt.

"What? I wore this last time when I did the press junket in New York! What is wrong with it?" Alice and Bella giggled as they watched the whole scene unfold. Edward was going to lose this battle; they didn't even know why he bothered to question her.

"Okay, I forgave that outfit last time. You were depressed and a mess. I overlooked the fact that you looked like a frat boy. You are now happy and engaged. Your beautiful fiancé will be sitting next to you. Put on darker jeans and a button down, now!" Edward admitted defeat and huffed out of the room. "And run a fucking razor over your face and try some mousse in your hair, you look like you just rolled out of bed!" She yelled behind him as his bedroom door slammed shut.

He returned fifteen minutes later wearing his dark blue jeans, black boots, and a black button down. He had shaved his beard and attempted to tame his hair. Rosalie gave him the onceover, "That is much better. Now, sit, I have a few things to go over with you," Rosalie was wearing thin on his nerves already and he had another eight hours of her to go. He looked over at Bella as she laughed at him.

"Rosalie, what the hell is up your ass today? Who pissed you off so early in the morning?" He was not in the mood for her.

"Well, let's see. I have a client who is hell bent on making my job as his publicist harder than it has to be. He doesn't tell me crap about his personal life until it happens, and then I have to run around like an ass to make sure everything is in order. What kind of mood would you be in if you had a client like that, Edward?" She looked at him sweetly.

"I think he sounds like a great guy! At least he is not like your other clients who do drugs and bitch slap the paparazzi," he smirked at her.

"You do know you are a complete ass and you are lucky to have me, right?" She loved to challenge him.

"You do know that I pay you and without me you wouldn't have that fancy car and nice house, right?" She shook her head at him.

"You are an ass and men like you are the reason why I am a lesbian," everyone in the room snapped their heads to look at her and their mouths dropped. "What? You guys didn't know?" Everyone shook their heads, "Well, now you do. No straight woman could deal with the asshole actors I represent." She left the room to get more coffee.

Edward looked at Alice and Bella who were still stunned, "I owe Jasper fifty bucks, he bet me she was gay," they all burst out laughing.

As Bella was finishing up, Rosalie asked to talk to Alice and Edward downstairs before they left. "I did some snooping about James last night, to find out who invited his ass to the party. You are not going to like this, but the studio invited him. More specifically, DonTanyan Tayler invited him," Edward look pissed.

Alice could not believe that he would do that, "Are you sure? Why would he do that?"

"Yes, I know James's agent's assistant pretty well. She said that the invitation was given to him the day before the premiere. I have no idea why. She is going to do some snooping around for me." Edward shook his head; he could not understand for the life of him why Aro would do that.

"Should I confront him? He wants a meeting with me next week about a new movie," Rosalie shook her head at Edward.

"Don't say shit about it. Let me and Jasper handle it. I don't think you should tell Bella about it just yet. She was shaken pretty bad last night, and I think we should wait until we find out more. I especially don't want her to hear about it before she has to sit in front of reporters for the rest of the day," both Alice and Edward nodded in agreement.

An hour later, Edward and Bella were seated on a loveseat while the first reporter was ushered in. These interviews were the first time Bella was sitting down with the press in over six months. She was very nervous, but Edward was there with her holding her hand making her feel a little better. Things went very well during the morning. They were asked about their engagement and movie, nothing else. It was actually very relaxed for the both of them and pleasant.

When they broke for the morning to eat lunch, Rosalie and Alice were looking at something on Rosalie's Blackberry and they looked pissed. Edward and Bella walked over to them. "What's up?" Rosalie handed Edward her Blackberry and pointed to a name on the list. The list was of interviewers for the afternoon. Edward saw it right way, "Fuck!"

Bella looked over his shoulder, "What is it Edward?" She saw the name _Jason Sanders_ under Rosalie's finger on the screen. "Is that the guy from the morning show in New York?" Everyone nodded at her. This was not good.

They went to a small private room to eat lunch. Rosalie had found out that Jason secured a longer interview time and was flown by his show to attend the premiere and junket. She knew exactly what he was doing. He was pissed off that Edward made him look like an ass last time and he wanted to be a prick. She didn't think he was going to target Edward this time around; he was going to go after Bella.

"Bella, are you ready for this?" Bella looked unsure of what to say, she was very nervous, but Rosalie had to prepare her for this interview. "Jason Sanders is a prick and he holds a grudge when he doesn't get his way. He got major shit from his producer last time he interviewed Edward and he is not going to go easy on you like everyone else," Rosalie truly believed that them getting back together kept the press from attacking her like they would have months ago. People loved Edward and would accept them together because he was happy. They would forgive her if he could. Unfortunately, with the good there is bad and there would be people who would never forgive and forget and would not let her off the hook easily. Jason was not either of those people. He was pissed at Edward and knew this would be the best way to get back at him.

Alice looked at Rosalie, "You don't think he is going to go after Bella, do you?"

"Yes, I do. I have no idea what he might say, but he is here on a mission," she looked over at Bella and Edward. "Edward, stay cool, do not lose it on him. I mean it, I will handle it if it gets too bad. We are not live, so I can step in if I need to." Edward nodded.

Everyone finished up lunch and headed back to the interview room. Edward and Bella took their place back on the loveseat as they we were up for the interviews. Edward reached over and took Bella's hand, "It's going to be okay, I promise," she smiled and nodded at him.

A few minutes later, Jason walked into the room and took his seat across from them. "Hi, Edward," Edward just looked him. "And Bella, how nice to see you," he smirked at her. No, this was not going to be good, it was going to be very bad.

The cameraman told them he was ready and they counted down. "I am Jason Sanders of _NYC Today_ and I am here with the stars of _Love's Past_ Bella Swan and Edward Cullens. I saw the movie last night and was very impressed with both of your performances, I have heard the buzz that this is your best film together to date. Will we be seeing you two again on the big screen together?"

Edward cleared his throat, "Yes, we will be starring in _The Journey_, it is based off of the book by Tanya Denali. We start filming this summer," Edward was starting to sweat with anticipation as to what Jason was going to ask next.

"And I see that you to are back together," he gestured towards their joined hands, they both nodded and smiled.

"Bella, we have not seen you in a while, how have you been?" It was coming Rosalie could sense it.

"I am great, Jason! I just took some much needed time off before starting another project," he smirked and looked down at the questions he held in his lap.

"Isn't it true that you dropped out of your last two projects to recover from the scandal last summer?" And there it was, the little prick went there.

Rosalie went to step in and Bella shot her a look to back off, "You know, Jason, I would be more than happy to discuss our new movie, I am not here to comment on my personal life," Edward squeezed her hand. Rosalie stepped back.

"I understand, of course," he let it go. Too easy, Rosalie knew he wasn't done.

He proceeded to ask them about the film and then asked them to talk about _The Journey_. His time was almost up, and Edward thought they were out of the woods.

"Do either of you have any other projects to talk about? Bella?"

"No, _The Journey _will be my last film. I will be retiring to concentrate on my personal life and other projects."

"Really, how interesting. Well, you will be missed, but I suppose we will still be seeing a lot of you with Edward," there is that damn smirk. "And Edward, any new projects for you?"

"Yes, I have a new movie coming out in March that I filmed in London this past summer called _Taking Chances_."

"Bella," she looked at him, "What about your movie _To Tell the Truth_ that you filmed in Georgia last year, when will that be released," Bella went pale. _To Tell the Truth_ was the movie that she and James starred in. Due to the scandal, reshoots were never scheduled and it was sitting on a studio shelf somewhere. But Jason had to know this already. Edward tightened her hand in his and looked like he was going to explode. Rosalie cleared her throat, but Jason would not look at her. "Is it true that since you and James Jackson had an affair the movie was left uncompleted?" Rosalie jumped in.

"That's it, interview done!" She was livid.

"I asked a valid question, Rosalie! There is no reason to end the interview!" Bella was so embarrassed; would she ever stop putting Edward through all this? He deserved so much better.

Edward stood up, "That was low, Jason. I have put up with a lot of you shit and…" Alice grabbed his arm and pulled him away.

"Edward, keep it together, let Rosalie handle it. You and Bella take a break and get some water," Alice let him go and he went back over to Bella who was looking visibly upset.

"You okay?" She looked up at Edward. He looked so upset.

"Yes, I am sorry," she whispered.

"Why are you sorry, he's the prick," nodded his head in Jason's direction where Rosalie was bitching her head off at him. "He has always been an ass. Don't worry, Rosalie will take care of it."

Rosalie finally had enough and told Jason he was done for the day and to get out. She came over to Bella and Edward, "You guys okay?" They both nodded. "I swear I will make sure that little prick loses his job if it kills me."

They took a break and continued on with the remaining interviews and everyone behaved, the other reporters were terrified of Rosalie, and after interviews they had photos with the press. Alice watched them both as they posed for photos. They were a beautiful couple and looked so happy, despite the day's events. Edward looked so much better than he did last time, he had the light back in his eyes and his smile lit up the room. By the time they all got back to the limos, everyone was exhausted and just wanted to go home a curl up in bed for the night.

When they all got to Edward's house, they said their goodbyes and Alice and Rosalie took off. Bella had been very quiet since the interview with Jason Sanders. "Bella, are you okay?" She walked into the living room and took a seat on the couch. Edward sat down on the coffee table in front of her.

"I am just sorry that this is something we will always have to deal with. After last night and this afternoon, I finally saw how much this is staying with me. It will always follow me and I will always be asked about it. So will you. I just don't want to hurt you anymore," she looked down at her hands as he took them in his hands.

"Bella, we knew this was not going to be easy. We will get through it, I promise," she still did not look at him. He reached down and pulled her face up to look at his. "Bella, don't do this. I love you."

"I love you, too. I just don't want you to wake up one morning and decide that I am not worth it and you leave." Edward pulled himself onto the couch next to her.

"Don't ever think that for a minute. I love you, I will never leave you. If I had the choice between my career and you, it would be you every time. Look at me," she looked up into his blue-green eyes, she loved him so much, she could never lose him again, "I am not going anywhere, do you understand?" She nodded.

"I know now more than ever that I want to retire. I didn't miss any of this, I just missed you. I liked the past few years acting because it was something I did with you. I love you and want to spend my life being the person who makes a home for you."

Edward understood now why she wanted to retire; she wanted them to be back to normal and to put the past behind them. "I want that, too. We will be fine, I promise," he kissed her lips and was he pulled away she grabbed the back of his neck and pulled him back kissing him deeply. Edward pulled away from her, "Come on, let's go upstairs and stay there until Monday. It has been an exhausting past couple of days and we still need to celebrate out re-engagement!" He stood up and slung her over his shoulder and ran up the stairs with her laughing and screaming all the way up to their bedroom.

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Seven**

True to his word, Edward and Bella stayed in bed all day Sunday, only leaving the room to get food. They watched TV, talked, and made love throughout the day and well into Sunday night. No one tried to call them or stop by the house. It was a blissful and peaceful day for both of them.

Edward's phone woke them pretty early on Monday; he reached over Bella looking for the phone on her nightstand. "Hello," he mumbled.

"Edward! It's Alice," he groaned into the phone. "Did I wake you?"

"Yes, you most certainly did. Why the hell are you up at," he looked at the clock, "seven o'clock in the morning? Hold on a minute." Bella was stirring next to him, so he slowly dragged himself out of bed, grabbed his shorts, and went downstairs. "Okay, Bella was still sleeping, what's up?"

"Someone took a picture of James Jackson being escorted out of the party by security Saturday night. The article claims that you and he had a confrontation at the party," she was so disgusted by this whole thing.

"Dammit. Who posted it?" She was dreading telling him this.

"_Celebrity Weekly_, there are pictures of you and Bella, too as we were leaving. That one was not so bad you both are smiling and you are holding her hand."

"Shit, I fucking hate that magazine. Did I royally piss someone off there that they keep harassing me?" He needed coffee; this was going to be a shit day. He and Bella should throw out their phones and hole up in the house for the rest of their lives.

"I know, if it is not one thing it is another. I am beginning to agree with Rosalie. James Jackson is in a rut professionally and he is looking for publicity to put him back in the spotlight," Alice checked her email and saw a message from the studio. "Just got an email from the studio, can you meet with DonTanyan at noon today?"

"Shouldn't be a problem, just check with Jasper and let me know," he took his coffee and sat at the table.

"He's free, I will confirm it with Aro's office. Just meet Jasper at eleven thirty at his office first," Alice went back to the _Celebrity Weekly _site, "OH SHIT!"

"What happened?" Edward jumped in his seat.

"Get your laptop, now!" Edward jumped up and went into the den and sat at his desk to power up the computer.

"Christ, Alice! What's going on?" His laptop was finally on and he logged onto the internet.

"Are you there yet?" Alice was frantic.

"In a second," Edward typed in the web address and there it was, "What the fuck?!" His voice echoed through the entire house.

On the homepage to their site were pictures of Edward and Tanya with the heading:

_**It's his turn now!**_

Edward was stunned. There was a picture of them at lunch a few weeks ago and a picture of them inside the party on Saturday night. It was taken when Edward was looking for Bella. He could not believe this. "Alice, what the hell!"

Alice was just as shocked as he was. In fact, she had been with them at that restaurant having lunch, she had been sitting across from them, and the other picture was at an event where Bella was. Someone was trying to start shit with them, and they needed to find out as soon as possible who could be doing this. "Look, we need to talk to Rosalie. I am calling her now and coming over. I will move your studio meeting to later this afternoon." They said good-bye and Edward ran upstairs to get dressed.

He walked into his bedroom and watched as Bella slept soundly. He could not believe what was happening. He wanted to pack up everything they owned and go back to Hawaii and stay there forever. He leaned over and kissed her cheek causing her to turn over. "Hmmmm, what are you doing up so early?" She pulled him down to her in bed running her hands up his neck and through his hair bringing him down to her lips.

He smiled into her mouth and pulled away slightly, still feeling her lips brushing his as he spoke, "Some stuff came up, Rosalie and Alice will be here soon," he kissed her lips and stood up.

"What stuff?" She was wide awake now.

"Two words, _Celebrity Weekly_," Bella went pale.

"What?" Edward gave her a quick rundown of what he and Alice saw online. She was mortified. Who the hell could be doing this?

Rosalie and Alice were at Edward's within an hour. Bella had made another pot of coffee and she sat at Edward's desk looking at the pictures. Rosalie was livid and was on a witch hunt.

"When I find the fucker who is doing this, he or she will pay dearly. This is total bullshit. You guys went public three days ago and all of the sudden this shit comes out? I thought James Jackson might be tied to this, but he is too friggin stupid. Is there anyone else you might have pissed off that would have done this?" She looked at both Bella and Edward.

"I have no idea, Rosalie. Are the stories or pictures anywhere else?" Edward had been racking his brain trying to figure out who could be doing this.

"No, that is the good news. The picture of you and Tanya was actually run in _Variety_ the day after it was taken, and their version did not cut out Alice, so they lost credibility on that one. The second picture is taken at an event that Bella was at, and there are pictures on the net from that night with you, Alice, and Tanya all standing together, so that shoots their shit down on that one, too. I am not too worried about the James Jackson shit, he is an asshole who has lost a lot of respect in the industry. My main concern is who at _Celebrity Weekly_ has something up their ass with you."

Rosalie was pissed about the pictures and articles, but they were not enough to do any harm to either Edward or Bella. If the article looked like Edward started a fight with James, no one was going to give a shit because most of Hollywood wanted to beat his ass. She had no worries about Edward and Tanya; she had never seen them look like anything other than friends. Her problem was that someone was following them, and not in the normal paparazzi way.

Rosalie had always told her clients never to take the things said about them in the tabloids to heart, that they were not against you personally, they were just trying to make a buck. But ever since Edward received those pictures six months ago from _Celebrity Weekly_, she had her concerns. Usually when pictures like that were going to be released, they were sent to an agent or publicist. But Edward had received them at his house with his name written on it. Something did not settle right with Rosalie on this.

"Look you two, just be ultra aware of your surroundings for a while, okay? And let me know if anything is suspicious to you. We leave for New York on Wednesday for the premiere there, and I want to make sure that everything runs smoothly. We will be bringing both Sam and Ken," They both nodded and she shook her head. "I swear the drama is never-ending with you guys."

Rosalie left shortly after and Alice was using Edward's office to answer a few emails. His meeting with the studio was this afternoon at one and Bella and Alice were going to go out to lunch. "Edward?" Bella pulled him to her and kissed his neck, "Let's go back to Hawaii and never come back," Edward threw his head back laughing.

"I was thinking the exact same thing this morning," she laughed and kissed him deeply. She loved this man so much. "I love you."

"I love you, too," he kissed her once more before pulling away; "I have to head off to Jasper's a little early."

"Okay. Have a good meeting." She watched him slip his converse on as he grabbed his keys and sunglasses.

"You guys have a good lunch," He winked at her as she blew him a kiss before he walked out the door.

About an hour later, Jasper and Edward pulled into the studio lot for their meeting. He and Jasper discussed the fact that it was Aro that had invited James to the party on Saturday. Rosalie and Jasper decided to wait to see what Rosalie's source would come up with before pursuing it with Aro. He was a powerful man, so they needed to have their facts straight before saying anything to him.

The meeting was pretty standard. They discussed the new movie that Aro had brought up to Edward on Saturday, _The War Between Two Soldiers_. It was about two friends who become enemies after the one's wife leaves him for the other when he is at war. Edward and Jasper read the script a while back and both thought it was a great piece for Edward. The best part was, it would be his last film with Aro

Aro said he would have Edward's contract for the film written up and sent to Jasper's office by the end of the day for Edward to go over and sign. They talked about the success of the latest movie before Aro excused himself to attend another meeting.

Before going back to Jasper's office, they stopped off for lunch. They were pretty pleased that things were being settled with the studio. "When I am done with this last movie for them, I have decided to take a year off."

Jasper was not surprised by this, Edward had been through so much and he truly deserved it. "No problem. If any scripts come through for you, I will let people know. Rosalie will be happy for the break," Edward laughed.

"No kidding, I think she is about ready to kill me," Edward looked at Jasper seriously, "I don't know about everything anymore, Jasper. I just hate living my life in a fishbowl and having every little thing I do turned into something." Jasper felt bad for Edward, he had been dealt a lot the past six months, and he deserved to be happy and to live his life the way he wanted.

"What are you thinking about doing? Would you leave acting like Bella is?"

"No, it's what I do and I am good at it. Bella is retiring because she doesn't enjoy it anymore, I still love making movies. I just don't like what comes along with it. Maybe taking a year off will help me figure it out. Maybe I will come back after a year and decide to do one movie a year. A lot of actors do that." He knew that once he and Bella had children, he wanted to be at home as much as possible and not miss out. He and Bella had been smart with their money, and they would be able to survive very comfortably even if neither one of them worked again.

Jasper paid the bill and they both stood to walk out, "I think you will figure it all out. This has been a rough year for you, taking time off is smart."

When they returned to Jasper's office, the contract was waiting on his desk. They went over it in detail and sent it back to Aro by courier after Edward signed it.

Edward returned home to find Bella cooking in the kitchen. "Hi, how was your meeting?" Edward walked up behind her and put his arms around her waist.

"Good," he pulled her hair off her neck and trailed kisses up her neck to her ear. She hummed in response. "I signed the contract and that means once I do this last one, I am done with the studio. Then I am taking a year off."

"What will we do for a year?" She leaned into him.

"I think I am going to talk to Tanya about her house in Hawaii," Bella turned around and wrapped her arms around his neck.

She kissed him on the lips and whispered, "I think that is an excellent idea," before he could deepen the kiss, his cell phone rang; he looked at the screen and rolled his eyes.

"Hi, Rosalie, what's up?"

"Please don't tell me you signed the contract to do that soldier movie," she sounded worried, totally not like Rosalie.

"Yes, I signed it about an hour ago and Jasper sent it back by courier, why?"

She took a deep breath, "I just found out from his agent's office, James Jackson was signed on by the studio to play opposite you," and that is when Edward dropped his phone shattering it on the floor


End file.
